Tyler Olson

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Tyler Ray Olson

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Biographical Information[edit]

Pitcher Tyler Olson was a 7th round choice by the Seattle Mariners in the 2013 amateur draft, out of Gonzaga University. He made his way up the minor league ladder quickly after going 2-4, 4.33 in 18 games for the Everett AquaSox of the Northwest League his first year. he starter 2014 with the High Desert Mavericks of the California League, then was promoted to the AA Jackson Generals after only 5 starts. He was a combined 12-8, 3.46 between the two teams, pitching 148 1/3 innings and earning an invitation to spring training with the Mariners in 2015. he impressed the team bras that spring and made the team's opening day roster. He had been almost exclusively a starter in the minors, but his major league debut on April 7th came as a reliever, logging two-thirds of an inning against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. he made 11 appearances out of the Mariners' bullpen in April and early May, going 1-1 with a 5.40 ERA, before being sent down to the AAA Tacoma Rainiers of the Pacific Coast League. he made 25 appearances there, including 6 starts, but was only 3-5, 4.47 with one save. He did put up a solid K/W ratio of 53/17 in 54 1/3 innings, but it may have been better for his long-term development if the Mariners had simply let him spent the whole season in AAA working as a starter.

Olson was caught in a numbers' crunch when the Mariners made a number of trades in the off-season, and he was designated for assignment on December 16th in order to clear room on the team's 40-man roster. Two days later, he was sent to the Los Angeles Dodgers for future considerations. He did not stay long with the team, however, as on January 12, 2016, the Dodgers traded him to the New York Yankees, along with Ronald Torreyes, in return for minor league OF Rob Segedin. After making just one appearance for the Yankees, he was successively claimed off waivers by the Kansas City Royals and the Cleveland Indians, but did not pitch again in the majors that season.

In 2017, he had the distinction of not giving up a single run in 30 appearances for Cleveland during the season. Because he was used as a LOOGY, those appearances totaled only 20 innings, but it was still a remarkable feat. He set the record for most appearances in a season without allowing a run, breaking Eric Gunderson's 1994 mark of 14, as well as the record for most appearances without allowing an earned run, previously set by Gunderson's 14-game 1994 and tied by Mike Hinckley in 2008. He went 1-0 with his first major league save that year, and also extended his scoreless streak through three postseason games in the ALDS against his former team, the Yankees.

Further Reading[edit]

  • Andrew Simon: "Unsung zero: Perfect year for Indians' Olson: Lefty posted perfect ERA in 2017 after journeyman path to Tribe", mlb.com, January 12, 2018. [1]

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