Brian Sweeney

{{Infobox baseball biography

|image=

|name=Brian Sweeney

|team=Kansas City Royals

|number=85

|position=Pitching coach

|bats=Right

|throws=Right

|birth_date={{Birth date and age|mf=yes|1974|6|13}}

|birth_place=Yonkers, New York, U.S.

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate=August 16

|debutyear=2003

|debutteam=Seattle Mariners

|final2league = MLB

|final2date=October 1

|final2year=2010

|final2team=Seattle Mariners

|debut2league = NPB

|debut2date=March 29

|debut2year=2007

|debut2team=Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters

|finalleague = NPB

|finaldate=October 5

|finalyear=2009

|finalteam=Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label=Win–loss record

|stat1value=4–2

|stat2label=Earned run average

|stat2value=3.38

|stat3label=Strikeouts

|stat3value=54

|stat2league = NPB

|stat21label=Win–loss record

|stat21value=23–21

|stat22label=Earned run average

|stat22value=4.10

|stat23label=Strikeouts

|stat23value=204

|teams=

Seattle Mariners ({{mlby|2003}})
San Diego Padres ({{mlby|2004}}, {{mlby|2006}})
Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters ({{npby|2007}}–{{npby|2009}})
Seattle Mariners ({{mlby|2010}})

As coach

Cleveland Indians / Guardians ({{mlby|2018}}–{{mlby|2022}})
Kansas City Royals ({{mlby|2023}}–present)

}}

Brian Edward Sweeney (born June 13, 1974) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who is currently the pitching coach for the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played in MLB for the Seattle Mariners and San Diego Padres and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, in addition to coaching for the Cleveland Guardians.

Playing career

Sweeney graduated from Archbishop Stepinac High School in White Plains, New York in 1992. He graduated from Mercy College in New York, where he was a starting pitcher.{{cite web|url=http://www.mercyathletics.com/information/HallofFame/2012/brian_sweeney|title=BRIAN SWEENEY '07, BASEBALL|access-date=2017-05-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170912234616/http://www.mercyathletics.com/information/HallofFame/2012/brian_sweeney|archive-date=2017-09-12|url-status=dead}}

After making his major league debut with the Seattle Mariners in {{mlby|2003}}, Sweeney moved to San Diego in {{mlby|2004}} and then signed with Japan's Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters.

He signed a minor league contract with the Seattle Mariners and reported to Tacoma Rainiers on April 15, 2010.

On June 15, 2010, he was called up to replace Ian Snell, who was designated for assignment.St. Louis, Missouri (Sports Network)

On November 3, 2010, Sweeney was claimed off waivers by the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Sweeney signed a minor league contract with the New York Mets on May 5, 2011.[http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2011/05/mets-sign-brian-sweeney.html Mets Sign Brian Sweeney], MLBTradeRumors.com, May 5, 2011. On January 27, 2012, he signed a minor league contract with the Seattle Mariners.

In 2013, he represented Italy at the World Baseball Classic.

Coaching career

The Philadelphia Phillies named Sweeney as pitching coach for their rookie league Gulf Coast League Phillies for the 2015 season. From 2016 to 2017, he was the pitching coach for their Single-A affiliate Lakewood BlueClaws.{{cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-210094462|title=Marty Malloy to Manage BlueClaws in 2017|website=Minor League Baseball}}

Sweeney was hired by the Indians as a major league coach on December 11, 2017.{{cite news|title=Indians name Budzinski & Sweeney to Major League coaching staff|url=https://www.mlb.com/indians/news/indians-name-budzinski--sweeney-to-staff/c-263248880|publisher=Indians.com|date=December 11, 2017}} Sweeney was promoted to bullpen coach on October 31, 2019.{{cite news |title=Indians announce Major League coaching staff additions |url=https://www.mlb.com/press-release/press-release-indians-announce-major-league-coaching-staff-additions |publisher=Indians.com |date=October 31, 2019}}

On December 1, 2022, the Kansas City Royals hired Sweeney as their pitching coach for the 2023 season.{{Cite web|title=KC adds former Cleveland pitching guru to staff|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/royals-add-brian-sweeney-jose-alguacil-to-2023-coaching-staff|access-date=July 31, 2023|website=mlb.com|language=en}}

He has also been the pitching coach for Team Italy at the WBC in both 2017 and 2023.