Ryan Brasier

Ryan David Brasier (born August 26, 1987) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Los Angeles Angels and Boston Red Sox and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp. Listed at 6 ft and 225 lb, he both throws and bats right-handed.

Amateur career
Brasier attended S. H. Rider High School in Wichita Falls, Texas. He played for the school's baseball team as a catcher as they had other talented pitchers, including Chase Anderson. He enrolled at Weatherford College in Weatherford, Texas, to play college baseball in 2006-07.

Los Angeles Angels
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim selected Brasier in the sixth round of the 2007 Major League Baseball draft. From 2007 through 2013, Brasier pitched for various Angels farm teams, starting with the Rookie League Orem Owlz and reaching the Triple-A Salt Lake Bees. He made a career-high 55 appearances (all in relief) with the Bees in 2012, recording 13 saves along with a 7–3 record, 54 strikeouts, and 24 walks in $59 2/3$ innings pitched.

The Angels promoted Brasier to the major leagues for the first time on May 1, 2013. He made his MLB debut the next day, pitching an inning of relief against the Baltimore Orioles, allowing two runs on two hits. His first MLB strikeout was of Ryan Flaherty. After making one additional appearance in May, he returned to the minors and was recalled in September when the major league rosters expanded; he made five appearances during the month. Overall, with the 2013 Angels, Brasier made seven appearances, striking out seven and walking four in nine innings pitched with a 2.00 ERA. Brasier missed the entire 2014 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery and was outrighted off of the Angels 40-man roster on October 28, 2014.

Oakland Athletics
On July 7, 2015, Brasier signed a minor league deal with the Oakland Athletics and spent the 2015 season rehabbing from the surgery, only appearing in six rehab games in the minors. In 2016, he made 46 relief appearances with the Triple-A Nashville Sounds, recording a 3.56 ERA in $60 2/3$ innings.

Hiroshima Toyo Carp
Brasier was invited to major league spring training by the Athletics in 2017 but took the opportunity to make more money overseas and agreed to have his contract sold to the Hiroshima Toyo Carp of Nippon Professional Baseball on December 14, 2016. With the Carp, he made 26 relief appearances; in 30 innings of work he struck out 19, walked eight, and had a 3.00 ERA. He would later credit his time in Japan with helping him improve his pitching mechanics.

Boston Red Sox
Brasier staged a showcase for major league teams in January 2018 with the hopes of signing a contract before spring training began but did not get any takers until signing a minor league contract with the Boston Red Sox on March 4, 2018. He was assigned to the Pawtucket Red Sox of the Triple-A International League, where he pitched in 46 games with a 3.71 ERA and 70 strikeouts and was selected to appear in the Triple-A All-Star Game. The Red Sox promoted him to the major leagues on July 8 and he made his Boston debut the next day, pitching one inning against the Texas Rangers and retiring the side in order. On August 30, Brasier recorded his first MLB win, pitching an inning of scoreless relief in a come-from-behind victory over the Chicago White Sox. He proved to be a consistent reliever down the stretch, finishing with a 1.60 ERA in 34 appearances, and was the recipient of the Red Sox' Lou Gorman Award. Brasier was included on Boston's postseason roster, making a total of nine appearances and allowing one earned run in $8 2/3$ innings, as Boston went on to win the World Series.

Brasier was included on Boston's Opening Day roster to start the 2019 season and on April 3, he recorded his first major league save in closing out a win over the Athletics. Overall with the 2019 Red Sox, Brasier appeared in 62 games, compiling a 2–4 record with seven saves, along with a 4.85 ERA and 61 strikeouts in $55 2/3$ innings.

During the COVID-19 shortened 2020 season, Brasier appeared in 25 games (one start), compiling a 1–0 record with 3.96 ERA and 30 strikeouts in 25 innings pitched. In early December 2020, he reached a one-year deal with the Red Sox for the 2021 season, avoiding salary arbitration. Before appearing in a 2021 game, Brasier was placed on the 60-day injured list with a calf injury on May 3 and while rehabbing, on June 3, he was hospitalized after being hit in the head by a line drive during a simulated game at Boston's training complex in Fort Myers, Florida. Brasier returned to the Red Sox on September 1. Overall during the 2021 regular season, he made 13 appearances with Boston, all in relief, compiling a 1.50 ERA and 1–1 record while striking out nine batters in 12 innings. He also made seven relief appearances in the postseason, as the Red Sox advanced to the American League Championship Series. On November 30, the Red Sox agreed to terms with him (in his second season of arbitration) on a one-year contract for 2022, reportedly worth $1.4 million.

Brasier began the 2022 season as a member of Boston's bullpen. In 68 relief appearances with the Red Sox, Brasier posted an 0–3 record with a 5.78 ERA and one save while striking out 64 batters in $62 1/3$ innings.

On January 13, 2023, the Red Sox and Brasier reached agreement on another one-year contract, avoiding arbitration. He struggled in 2023, as he worked to a 7.29 ERA with 18 strikeouts in 20 relief appearances. On May 14, Brasier was designated for assignment by Boston, hours after he allowed three runs in a relief appearance against the St. Louis Cardinals at Fenway Park. Following the roster move, Brasier told reporters, "Honestly, a new start might not be bad. Obviously getting to play at Fenway every day is a dream come true. Two parks you want to play at growing up are Yankee Stadium and Fenway. And I got to do both a lot. So grateful.” He was released by the team on May 21.

Los Angeles Dodgers
On June 5, 2023, Brasier signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers organization. He made two scoreless appearances for the Triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers before he was selected to the major league roster on June 20. In the majors, he pitched in $38 2⁄3$ innings over 39 games, with an 0.70 ERA.

The Dodgers re-signed Brasier to a two-year, $9 million contract on February 8, 2024. He posted a 4.63 ERA in we games before he was placed on the injured list with a right calf strain on April 29. Brasier was transferred to the 60–day injured list on June 13.