Kyle Bird Explained

Kyle Bird
Team:Free agent
Position:Relief pitcher
Birth Date:12 April 1993
Birth Place:Orange Park, Florida, U.S.
Bats:Left
Throws:Left
Debutleague:MLB
Debutdate:March 28
Debutyear:2019
Debutteam:Texas Rangers
Debut2league:NPB
Debut2date:June 14
Debut2year:2021
Debut2team:Hiroshima Toyo Carp
Statleague:MLB
Statyear:2019 season
Stat1label:Win–loss record
Stat1value:0–0
Stat2label:Earned run average
Stat2value:7.82
Stat3label:Strikeouts
Stat3value:10
Stat2year:2021 season
Stat2league:NPB
Stat21label:Win–loss record
Stat21value:0–1
Stat22label:Earned run average
Stat22value:4.11
Stat23label:Strikeouts
Stat23value:30
Teams:

Ronald Kyle Bird (born April 12, 1993) is an American professional baseball relief pitcher who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Texas Rangers and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp.

Amateur career

Bird attended Clay High School in Green Cove Springs, Florida.[1] Undrafted out of high school in 2011, Bird attended Florida State University for two years (2012 and 2013),[2] before transferring to Division II Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida, for his junior season in 2014.[3] He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 35th round, 1,057th overall, of the 2014 MLB draft.[4]

Professional career

Tampa Bay Rays

After signing with Tampa Bay, Bird was assigned to the rookie Princeton Rays to make his professional debut in 2014. In 19 innings pitched, he posted a 1–0 record with a 4.19 earned run average (ERA). He split the 2015 season between the Class A Bowling Green Hot Rods and the Triple-A Durham Bulls. Through 33 games (1 with Durham), he accumulated 4–0 record with a 2.54 ERA and 71 strikeouts in 70.1 innings. He played the 2016 season with both the Class A-Advanced Charlotte Stone Crabs and the Double-A Montgomery Biscuits. He appeared in 68 innings across 43 games, earning a 3–2 record with a 2.28 ERA and 60 strikeouts. He split the 2017 season between Montgomery and Durham. In 54 games, he posted a 4–2 record with a 2.89 ERA and 70 strikeouts in 74.2 innings. He again played the 2018 season at both Double-A and Triple-A. He appeared in 43 games, making 6 starts, and accumulated a 3–3 record with a 2.39 ERA and 88 strikeouts across 74 innings.[5] After the 2018 regular season, Bird pitched for the Yaquis de Obregón of the Mexican Pacific League in winter ball.[6] In 18 games with them, he went 1–0 with a 2.00 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 18 innings.[5]

The Rays added Bird to their 40-man roster after the 2018 season.[7]

Texas Rangers

On December 21, 2018, Bird was traded to the Texas Rangers as part of a three team deal in which the Rangers also acquired Brock Burke, Yoel Espinal, Eli White, and $750,000 of international signing bonus pool space; the Rays acquired Emilio Pagan, Rollie Lacy, and a competitive balance pick in the 2019 MLB draft (Seth Johnson); and the Oakland Athletics acquired Jurickson Profar.[8]

Bird made the Rangers' 2019 Opening Day roster on March 28, 2019, and made his major league debut that afternoon versus the Chicago Cubs, walking Anthony Rizzo, the only batter he faced.[9] He split the season between the Rangers and the Nashville Sounds. With Texas he went 0–0 with a 7.82 ERA innings, and with Nashville he went 5–1 with a 2.86 ERA in innings. On January 15, 2020, Bird was designated for assignment by the Rangers and outrighted to Triple-A a few days later.[10] Bird did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[11] He became a free agent on November 2, 2020.

Hiroshima Toyo Carp

On November 26, 2020, it was announced that Bird had signed with the Hiroshima Toyo Carp of Nippon Professional Baseball.[12] He made his NPB debut on June 14. In 33 appearances for Hiroshima, Bird pitched to a 4.57 ERA with 21 strikeouts in 21.2 innings pitched. He became a free agent after the season.

Seattle Mariners

On March 8, 2022, Bird signed a minor league contract with the Seattle Mariners.[13] He elected free agency on November 10, 2022.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Bird gets call to Rays' 40-man roster. Clay Today. Randy Lefko. November 28, 2018. September 16, 2019.
  2. Web site: Kyle Bird . Florida Seminoles . 28 June 2017 . March 28, 2019.
  3. Web site: Kyle Bird. Flagler Athletics. March 28, 2019.
  4. Web site: Bird gets his shot with Rays. Tom Bone. Bluefield Daily Telegraph. June 24, 2014. September 16, 2019.
  5. Web site: Kyle Bird . Baseball Cube . January 22, 2019.
  6. Web site: Kyle Bird, Último Extranjero de Yaquis . Puro Beisbol . 3 October 2018 . es . March 28, 2019.
  7. Web site: Rays DFA C.J. Cron in Adding 5 Prospects to Roster. November 20, 2018. Marc Topkin. Tampa Bay Times. December 14, 2018.
  8. Web site: Rangers Deal Profar to A's in 3-Team Trade. T.R. Sullivan. MLB.com. December 21, 2018. December 21, 2018.
  9. Web site: Texas Rangers Set Opening Day Roster, DFA Connor Sadzeck. Adam J. Morris. Lone Star Ball. SB Nation. March 28, 2019. March 28, 2019.
  10. Web site: Texas Rangers: Jeffrey Springs, Kyle Bird Designated for Assignment. 15 January 2020.
  11. Web site: 2020 Minor League Season Canceled.
  12. Web site: 広島が新助っ投・バードを獲得 エルドレッド駐米スカウト撮影のビデオが決め手(東スポWeb) - Yahoo!ニュース . news.yahoo.co.jp . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20201126070510/https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/b0ee5f9fd3d895e26d29b635d3fa1a65029b2f6e . 2020-11-26.
  13. Web site: Kyle Bird Stats, Fantasy & News. MLB.com.