Major Leaguer resume Vol.81/ WBC Player’s resume Vol.67: Seth Lugo(San Diego Padres) : Major Candidate for Team Puerto Rico: “The Combination of Curveball and 4-seamer!”

Today's player's resume concerns the San Diego Padres reliever, Seth Lugo. Lugo can represent Puerto Rico in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.

The KAISPO's baseball analyst commented,
"Lugo is a right-handed reliever with an excellent curveball. His sharp curveball with a high spin is effective as both a ball to get ahead of a batter and a finishing pitch with over 30% of his K% and Whiff% in 2022. The curveballs and 4-seamer of five arsenals accounted for over 60% of all his pitches in 2022, as each opponent's batting average was in the 10% range, using the combination of the two very well. His skillful pitching is worth seeing. In 2023 and beyond, Lugo will play for the Padres to aim at the World Champ."

The New York Mets selected Lugo with the 1032nd overall pick in the 34th round of the 2011 MLB draft.

Lugo was promoted to the major on June 30, 2016, and made his big league debut the following day. He pitched a scoreless eighth and ninth inning on two hits with two strikeouts in a 10-2 Mets win over the Chicago Cubs. His first career strikeout was from Anthony Rizzo. On August 25, the righty started the game versus the St.Louis Cardinals, allowing just two hits and three walks with five strikeouts in five frames to pick up his first career victory in a 10-6 win. Lugo notched 5-2 with a 2.67 ERA and 45 strikeouts across 17 games, including eight starts in his first season.

The 33-year-old right-hander threw very well for Team Puerto Rico in the 2017 World Baseball Classic before the regular season. Lugo, however, missed the first two months due to elbow inflammation. He finished his second season with 7-5, a 4.71 ERA as a starting pitcher over 18 starts and one relief.

In 2022, Lugo took the mound as the fourth of five pitchers to combine for a no-hitter in a 3-0 win over the Philadelphia Phillies in New York. After the 2022 campaign, he elected a free agent and signed with the Padres for a two-year contract on December 22. He may play a starting role for the Padres.

Seth Lugo has gone 32-24 with an ERA of 3.48, a WHIP of 1.17, and 508 strikeouts over 275 contests with 38 starts in his eight MLB seasons at the end of the 2022 season.
(MLB No.370  KAISPO No.1550)