Page 183 - 2025 Los Angeles Angels Media Guide

RHP
ROBERT STEPHENSON

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
◆ Has pitched in 271 career MLB games with the Reds (2016-20), Rockies (2021-22), Pirates (2022-23) and Rays
(2023).
◆ From 2021-23, totaled 184 strikeouts and 48 walks across 156.1 IP...In that span, has averaged a 33.9% swing-
and-miss rate.
◆ Made Major League debut with Cincinnati, April 7, 2016 vs. Philadelphia.
MAJOR LEAGUE SUMMARY
2023
◆ Made a career-high 60 appearances between Pirates
and Rays…Opened season on 15-day IL with right MISSING BATS
elbow inflammation before being activated April 14.
◆ Pitched to a 5.14 ERA (14.0IP - 8 ER) in 18 appearances Highest single-season swing-and-miss rates
with Pirates before being traded June 3 to Rays in (since tracking began in 1988/min. 200 BF)
exchange for INF Alika Williams...Posted a 2.35 ERA Player Swing-and-miss% Year STEPHENSON
(38.1IP - 10 ER) in 42 games with Tampa Bay.
◆ After joining Rays, led Majors with a 50.8 pct. whiff Edwin Diaz, NYM 49.9% 2022
rate over the remainder of the season (min. 100 Brad Lidge, HOU 48.1% 2004
pitches swung at)…Marked highest whiff rate by a Robert Stephenson, PIT/TB 46.5% 2023
Rays pitcher in pitch tracking era (since 2008) under
the same parameter.
◆ On the season, 24.8% of his pitches resulted in swinging strikes…Marked second-highest swinging strike rate by
a pitcher (min. 50 IP) since the statistic was first tracked in 2002 (Sports Info Solutions), trailing Houston’s Brad
Lidge in 2004 (25.1%).
◆ Held right-handed batters to a .143 (17/119) average, which was the sixth-lowest mark in Majors (min. 100 AB).
◆ From July 6 - Aug. 27, strung together 34 straight hitless at-bats against right-handed batters, a streak that
concluded with a Jake Burger double for Miami Aug. 29…The streak tied Chris Archer (July 14 - Aug. 2, 2013) for
longest streak in Rays history.
◆ Added a cutter to his arsenal after joining Rays, holding opponents to a .101 (8/79) average on the pitch over the
remainder of the season…His 59.9% whiff rate on the offering was the highest on any Major League pitch (min.
150 pitches swung at).
◆ Recorded at least one strikeout in each of his final 18 appearances from Aug. 11 through the end of the season,
the longest active run among relievers in 2023.
◆ Pitched to a 0.93 ERA (9.2 IP - 1ER) with 17 strikeouts against one walk across final 11 appearances.
◆ On Sept. 2 at Cleveland, struck out the side on nine pitches in the 10th inning, but the Rays intentionally walked
Andrés Giménez (third batter of inning)…According to Elias Sports Bureau, while there is no “official” definition
of an immaculate inning, the inning was not considered immaculate because he faced four batters and allowed
a baserunner…Since the no-pitch intentional walk rule went into effect in 2017, was the first instance of striking
out the side on nine pitches in the same inning as an intentional walk.
2022
◆ Split season between Rockies and Pirates, totaling a then-career-high 58 games and recording 77 strikeouts in
52.1 innings of work with just 16 walks.
◆ Began season on Colorado's COVID-19-related injured list and tossed 1.0 scoreless inning of relief in season
debut April 20 vs. Philadelphia...Was placed on COVID-19-related IL for a second time from May 23-27.
◆ Made 45 appearances for Colorado before being claimed off waivers by Pittsburgh, Aug. 27 after being
designated for assignment.
◆ Made Pirates debut Aug. 31 at Milwaukee and tossed 1.0 scoreless inning...Overall had a 3.38 ERA (13.1 IP - 5
ER) with Pittsburgh in 13 appearances.
◆ Appeared in 200th game of big league career Sept. 3 vs. Toronto and tossed 1.1 scoreless innings.
◆ Allowed one walk in his final 18 appearances (19.2 IP).
2021
◆ Went 2-1 with one save and a then-career-low 3.13 ERA (46 IP - 16 ER) in 49 appearances in first season with
Rockies.
◆ Posted a 2.05 ERA (22 IP - 5 ER) in 21 appearances on the road, compared with a 4.13 ERA (24 IP - 11 ER) in 28
appearances at Coors Field.
◆ His 37.1% inherited runners scored was third-highest in N.L. and 11th highest overall in the Majors.
◆ Placed on injured list June 28 with upper back tightness.
◆ Went scoreless in 13 of his last 15 and in 17 of last 22 games after being reinstated from IL, Aug. 4...Over that
span had a 1.61 ERA (22.1 IP - 4 ER) with 25 strikeouts and five walks.
◆ Was on Paternity List Sept. 8-11, and welcomed daughter Sydney with his wife Jaime.

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