| Fernando Salas | |
| Team: | Olmecas de Tabasco |
| Number: | 59 |
| Position: | Pitcher |
| Birth Date: | 30 May 1985 |
| Birth Place: | Huatabampo, Sonora, Mexico |
| Bats: | Right |
| Throws: | Right |
| Debutleague: | MLB |
| Debutdate: | May 28 |
| Debutyear: | 2010 |
| Debutteam: | St. Louis Cardinals |
| Statleague: | MLB |
| Statyear: | 2019 season |
| Stat1label: | Win–loss record |
| Stat1value: | 25–28 |
| Stat2label: | Earned run average |
| Stat2value: | 3.91 |
| Stat3label: | Strikeouts |
| Stat3value: | 474 |
| Teams: |
|
| Awards: |
|
| Show-Medals: | no |
Noel Fernando Salas (born May 30, 1985) is a Mexican professional baseball pitcher for the Olmecas de Tabasco of the Mexican League. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, New York Mets, Arizona Diamondbacks and Philadelphia Phillies. He made his MLB debut with the Cardinals in 2010.
Fernando Salas was born and raised in Huatabampo, Mexico. Growing up he never thought about playing in the American Major Leagues, instead being a fan of Mexican League baseball. Said Salas: "There is a lot of money to stay in Mexican League. A lot of players in Mexican League have a chance, (at American baseball) but they want a lot of money." Although he watched little if any American baseball—the only game he can remember watching is the 1993 World Series between the Toronto Blue Jays and Philadelphia Phillies—he had a dream of proving he was good enough to play in the major leagues.
Salas first pitched professionally at age 20 when he was signed by the Saraperos de Saltillo of the Mexican League. There his pitching coach was Sid Monge a veteran of ten years in American Major League baseball as a player and a coach in the St. Louis Cardinals minor league system.[1] According to Salas, Monge was the reason he is now playing in the major leagues: "He pushed me. He said 'You can go to America'. He believed in me."[1] Representatives from other major league teams took interest in Salas as well, with scouts from the Chicago Cubs, Kansas City Royals, Detroit Tigers and the Cardinals watching Salas pitch in the 2006 Mexican League playoffs.
The Cardinals were impressed enough to buy Salas' contract from Saltillo in February 2007. He reported for spring training in Jupiter, Florida, remaining there for the entire season with the Cardinals High-A ball affiliate Palm Beach Cardinals. He advanced through the minor league system, playing for the Double-A Springfield Cardinals in 2008 and Triple-A Memphis Redbirds for the 2009 season.[1] Salas began 2010 in Memphis but was called up to the majors for the first time on May 27, 2010.[2] He made his major league debut the next day, pitching one scoreless inning.
In 2011, he replaced Ryan Franklin as the Cardinals' closer, earning 24 saves in 68 appearances with a 2.28 ERA.[1] Salas began the 2012 season with St. Louis, but after going 0–3 with a 6.32 ERA in 18 games, he was optioned to Triple-A Memphis.[3] It was later learned that Salas had been hampered by a kidney stone, and once that medical situation passed he returned to St. Louis later in the season.[1] He finished the 2012 season with a record of 1–4, 60 strikeouts, and a 4.30 ERA.[4]
On November 22, 2013, he was traded along with David Freese to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim for Peter Bourjos and Randal Grichuk.[5]
On August 31, the Angels traded Salas to the New York Mets for minor league pitcher Erik Manoah.[6] He debuted for the club on September 1, pitching a scoreless inning against the Miami Marlins at Citi Field.[7] On February 15, 2017, Salas signed a one-year contract with the Mets.[8] On his thirty-second birthday, Salas recorded his first Major League hit off of Carlos Torres of the Milwaukee Brewers at Citi Field.[9] He was designated for assignment on August 11, 2017.[10] He was released by the Mets on August 16, 2017.
On August 19, 2017, Salas signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Angels.
On January 22, 2018, Salas signed a minor league deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks.[11] In 44 games for Arizona, he was 4–4 with a 4.50 ERA in 40 innings. On July 6, 2018, Salas was designated for assignment. He was released on July 9, 2018.
On July 16, 2018, Salas signed a minor league deal with the Atlanta Braves. He was released on August 11, 2018.
On March 6, 2019, Salas signed with the Acereros de Monclova of the Mexican League.[12]
On June 7, 2019, Salas signed a minor league deal with the Philadelphia Phillies and was assigned to the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. On June 24, his contract was selected by the Phillies.[13] He was designated for assignment on June 28 after appearing in just one game.[14] Salas had his contract selected by the Phillies on July 18. He was once again designated for assignment on July 21, after the signing of Drew Smyly, and outrighted on July 23. In 2019 with the Triple–A Lehigh Valley IronPigs he was 1–1 with a 4.63 ERA in 18 relief appearances (innings), and with the Phillies he pitched innings in which he gave up two runs.[15] He elected free agency on October 1. After the 2019 season, he played for Naranjeros de Hermosillo of the Mexican Pacific League.
On February 28, 2020, Salas signed with the Acereros de Monclova of the Mexican League. He did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the Mexican League season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[16]
On March 30, 2021, Salas was traded to the Olmecas de Tabasco of the Mexican League. In his first year with Tabasco, he logged an 0.42 ERA with 23 strikeouts and 12 saves across 21 appearances.
Salas made 33 appearances out of the bullpen in 2024, compiling a 1.36 ERA with 33 strikeouts and a league–leading 28 saves across 33 innings of work.[17]
Salas and his girlfriend, Daniela, are parents of a son, Fernando, born during 2012 spring training. He is being raised in Mexico.[18] It is not a situation to Salas' liking: "Other Latin players have a lot of family in America. For me, it didn't happen. It's a little difficult because my family doesn't know any English. But they know it's work. They know it's a profession." and "I love the opportunity. I want to do everything I can to stay here."[1]