1. Professional Career
Ernesto Frieri's professional baseball career began in the minor leagues with the San Diego Padres, leading to his Major League debut, and continued with various teams in MLB before his later career included stints with multiple organizations and the Mexican Baseball League.
1.1. Minor League Career
Frieri was signed by San Diego Padres scouts Robert Rowley and Marical DelValle. He began his professional career in 2005, splitting the season between the AZL Padres and the Lake Elsinore Storm. With the AZL Padres, he achieved a 7-1 record with a 1.17 earned run average (ERA) in 17 games, five of which were starts. He struck out 59 batters over 46.1 innings pitched. In two relief appearances for the Storm, he had a 0-0 record with a 2.70 ERA.
In 2006, Frieri divided his time among the Eugene Emeralds, Fort Wayne Wizards, and Lake Elsinore Storm. For the Emeralds, he recorded a 3-3 record with a 3.82 ERA in 27 appearances, including one start. He posted a 9.00 ERA in one game with the Wizards and a 6.00 ERA in two games with the Storm. The following year, in 2007, Frieri played for the Wizards (40 games) and the Storm (13 games), combining for a 2-2 record with a 1.98 ERA and 92 strikeouts in 86.1 innings pitched.
In 2008, he played for the Storm, the Double-A San Antonio Missions, and the Triple-A Portland Beavers. With the Storm, he went 8-6 with a 4.00 ERA in 33 games, making 18 starts. He had a 1-0 record with a 4.09 ERA in two games for the Missions and a 1-0 record with a 1.50 ERA in one game for the Beavers.
Frieri experienced a breakthrough year in 2009 while playing for the San Antonio Missions and the Padres. With the Missions, he recorded a 10-9 record with a 3.59 ERA and 118 strikeouts in 140.1 innings pitched, appearing in 27 games with 26 starts. His performance earned him a spot on the Texas League All-Star team, and on July 27, he was named the Texas League Pitcher of the Week. On September 14, 2009, Frieri and Luis Durango were called up to the Major Leagues.
1.2. Major League Career
Ernesto Frieri's Major League Baseball career spanned several teams, primarily in a relief role, with a notable period as a closer for the Los Angeles Angels.
1.2.1. San Diego Padres
Ernesto Frieri made his Major League debut on September 26, 2009, against the Arizona Diamondbacks. In this appearance, he pitched one inning of no-run ball and recorded two strikeouts. Frieri finished the 2009 season with two appearances, without giving up a run.
His debut marked a significant milestone, as he became the ninth Colombian-born player to reach Major League Baseball and only the second Colombian pitcher, following Emiliano Fruto.
In 2010, Frieri made 33 appearances for the Padres, posting an ERA of 1.71 and striking out 41 batters. He solidified his role as a permanent piece of the Padres' bullpen in 2011, appearing in 59 games for the team.
1.2.2. Los Angeles Angels
On May 3, 2012, the Padres traded Frieri to the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for second baseman Alexi Amarista and minor league pitcher Donn Roach. Following the trade, Frieri took on a closer role for the Angels. He earned his first career save on May 23, 2012, against the Oakland Athletics.
On September 25, 2012, Frieri was part of a historic pitching performance for the Angels. He, along with four other pitchers (Zack Greinke, Garrett Richards, Scott Downs, and Kevin Jepsen), combined to record 20 strikeouts in a single nine-inning game, tying a Major League Baseball record. For the 2012 season, Frieri notched 23 saves and struck out 80 batters in 54.1 innings pitched for the Angels.
Frieri became the full-time closer for the Angels in 2013. That season, he recorded 37 saves, despite allowing 11 home runs, and finished with a 3.80 ERA. However, after multiple poor outings early in the 2014 season, Frieri was pulled from the closer role on April 25, 2014, in favor of Joe Smith. After some questionable outings from Smith, Frieri and Smith began sharing the closer responsibilities. Through late June 2014, Frieri had a 6.39 ERA and had allowed eight home runs in 31 innings pitched.
1.2.3. Pittsburgh Pirates
On June 27, 2014, Frieri was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for fellow relief pitcher Jason Grilli. After joining the Pirates, Frieri struggled to regain his control, surrendering 12 runs in just 10.2 innings pitched. He finished his tenure with the team with a 1-1 record and a 10.13 ERA in 14 appearances. As a result, he was designated for assignment on August 8, 2014, and then outrighted to the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians on August 13. He was subsequently released by the Pirates on September 8, 2014.
1.2.4. Tampa Bay Rays
On November 26, 2014, Frieri signed a one-year contract with the Tampa Bay Rays. However, he continued to experience bouts of extreme inconsistency with the team. On June 2, 2015, Frieri was designated for assignment by the Rays. In 23.1 innings pitched for Tampa Bay, Frieri struck out 19 batters but also allowed 11 walks and 20 hits, resulting in a 4.63 ERA. He cleared waivers on June 5 and was outrighted to the Triple-A Durham Bulls. Frieri became a free agent following the season on October 5, 2015.
1.3. Later Career
Following his main Major League stints, Ernesto Frieri continued his professional career with several other organizations and in international leagues.
On December 14, 2015, Frieri signed a minor league deal with the Philadelphia Phillies and was invited to their 2016 spring training. He was released by the Phillies on April 5, 2016. Frieri did not play professionally during the 2016 season, opting instead to focus on improving his pitching mechanics.
In 2017, Frieri participated in the 2017 World Baseball Classic as a member of the Colombian national baseball team. After Colombia's elimination from the tournament, he signed a minor league contract with the New York Yankees on March 16, 2017. He played for the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders but exercised his opt-out clause and became a free agent on June 4.
On June 6, 2017, Frieri signed a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers. His contract was purchased, and he was added to the Major League roster on June 17, 2017. However, after allowing six runs in just 7 innings pitched, Frieri was designated for assignment on July 4, 2017, to make room for the activation of Jeremy Jeffress from the disabled list. He was then outrighted to Triple-A on July 8.
Later that year, on August 8, 2017, Frieri was traded to the Seattle Mariners for 1 USD. He was assigned to the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers but did not make a Major League appearance for the Mariners. He elected free agency on October 2, 2017.
On January 18, 2018, Frieri signed a minor league deal with the Milwaukee Brewers and was invited to their spring training. He was released on March 18, 2018. On April 5, 2018, Frieri signed with the Acereros de Monclova of the Mexican Baseball League. However, he was released on April 21 without making an appearance in a game. After his stint in the Mexican League, Frieri also participated in a Mexican winter league.
2. Pitching Style
Ernesto Frieri's pitching repertoire primarily featured a four-seam fastball, which typically registered speeds between 90 and 94 mph. This was his primary pitch. He also utilized a breaking ball that ranged from 77 to 80 mph. This breaking pitch was variously described as either a curveball or a slider.
3. International Career
Ernesto Frieri represented his home country of Colombia in international baseball competitions. Most notably, he was selected to play for the Colombian national baseball team in the 2017 World Baseball Classic. He was part of the Colombian roster that competed in Pool C in Miami, Florida. Other notable players on the 2017 World Baseball Classic Colombia roster included Luis Durango, Gio Urshela, Jorge Alfaro, José Quintana, and Julio Teherán.
4. Career Statistics
This section provides a comprehensive overview of Ernesto Frieri's pitching statistics throughout his professional career, including his annual performance in Major League Baseball and the uniform numbers he wore for various teams.
4.1. Annual Pitching Statistics
| Year | Team | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | W | L | HLD | ERA | IP | H | HR | BB | HBP | SO | WP | BK | R | ER | WHIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | SD | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 2.0 IP | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.50 |
| 2010 | SD | 33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1.71 | 31.2 IP | 18 | 2 | 17 | 3 | 41 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 1.11 |
| 2011 | SD | 59 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2.71 | 63.0 IP | 51 | 3 | 34 | 5 | 76 | 1 | 1 | 21 | 19 | 1.35 |
| 2012 | SD | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2.31 | 11.2 IP | 9 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 1.11 |
| 2012 | LAA | 56 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 23 | 2.32 | 54.1 IP | 26 | 7 | 26 | 0 | 80 | 1 | 5 | 15 | 14 | 0.96 |
| 2012 Total | 67 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 23 | 2.32 | 66.0 IP | 35 | 9 | 30 | 0 | 98 | 1 | 7 | 20 | 17 | 0.98 | |
| 2013 | LAA | 67 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 37 | 3.80 | 68.2 IP | 55 | 11 | 30 | 1 | 98 | 1 | 3 | 29 | 29 | 1.24 |
| 2014 | LAA | 34 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 6.39 | 31.0 IP | 33 | 8 | 9 | 1 | 38 | 0 | 1 | 22 | 22 | 1.36 |
| 2014 | PIT | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 10.13 | 10.2 IP | 14 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 12 | 1.78 |
| 2014 Total | 48 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 11 | 7.34 | 41.2 IP | 47 | 11 | 14 | 2 | 48 | 0 | 2 | 34 | 34 | 1.46 | |
| 2015 | TB | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4.63 | 23.1 IP | 20 | 6 | 11 | 0 | 19 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 12 | 1.33 |
| 2017 | TEX | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5.14 | 7.0 IP | 6 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 1.71 |
| MLB Total | 8 years | 304 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 14 | 73 | 3.59 | 303.1 IP | 232 | 42 | 143 | 13 | 387 | 6 | 22 | 127 | 121 | 1.24 |
4.2. Uniform Numbers
Ernesto Frieri wore several uniform numbers throughout his Major League Baseball career:
- 46 (2009)
- 39 (2010 - 2012)
- 49 (2013 - mid-2014, 2017)
- 29 (mid-2014 - end of 2014 season)
- 43 (2015)
5. Assessment
Ernesto Frieri's career is marked by a journey through various professional baseball organizations, highlighted by a notable period as a successful closer in Major League Baseball. After making his debut as the ninth Colombian-born MLB player and second Colombian pitcher, Frieri established himself as a reliable bullpen arm for the San Diego Padres. His career peaked during his tenure with the Los Angeles Angels, where he served as a full-time closer in 2013, recording 37 saves. However, following his time with the Angels, Frieri struggled with consistency and control, leading to frequent team changes and shorter stints with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Tampa Bay Rays, and later the Texas Rangers. Despite efforts to regain his form, including taking a season off to work on mechanics and participating in the World Baseball Classic, Frieri's later career was characterized by challenges in maintaining a consistent presence in MLB. His career ultimately concluded with appearances in independent and Mexican leagues.