Ty Buttrey

Ty Douglas Buttrey

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height' 6' 6", Weight 230 lb.
• High School Providence High School (Charlotte)
• Debut August 16, 2018

• Born March 31, 1993 in Matthews, NC USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Pitcher Ty Buttrey was one of two prospects sent by the Boston Red Sox to the Los Angeles Angels in return for second baseman Ian Kinsler at the trading deadline in 2018; the other was P Williams Jerez. Ty made his major league debut with the Angels two weeks later, on August 16th. He took brief spins in the closer's chair over his first two seasons, making 88 appearances and logging 6 saves while fanning 104 batters in 88 2/3 innings. In 2020, he had a tough year, going 2-3, 5.81 in 27 games with 5 saves.

He struggled with his control during spring training in 2021, and failed to make the team, being sent to the alternate training site instead. That's where he made the stunning announcement on April 3rd that he was voluntarily retiring from baseball. He explained that he had lost his affection for the game as it had become simply a business for him. The Angels asked him to take some time to think about his decision. It took some time, but he did reconsider his decision, returning to the Angels for spring training in 2022. He explained that he found the fun in baseball again while conducting clinics for kids in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The love of the game displayed by the kids he coached made him re-think his decision and realize that he had assessed things incorrectly when he had decided to walk away. He explained that the time away from baseball, something he had been doing 24/7 since he was a kid, gave him a fresh perspective. However, he only pitched in AAA that season, with the Salt Lake Bees of he Pacific Coast League, with no wins or losses and 2 saves in 34 games in relief. He struck out 30 batters but walked 23 in 36 1/3 innings, ending up with an ERA of 5.69.

He became a free agent following the 2022 season and signed with the Houston Astros at the beginning of February 2023. He had been working out with former Angels pitching coach Doug White during the off-season and was throwing 98 mph by the end of the sessions, giving him confidence that he could pitch in the big leagues again.

Further Reading

• Mike DiGiovanna (Los Angeles Times): "Ty Buttrey returns to the Angels ready to be an asset to the bullpen", Yahoo! News, March 15, 2022. [1]
• Brian McTaggart: "Why Buttrey decided to unretire, join Astros: After stepping away from baseball in 2021, reliever eyes MLB return", mlb.com, February 27, 2023. [2]

Related Sites

• Ty Buttrey at mlb.com