Kevin Whelan

{{Infobox baseball biography

| name = Kevin Whelan

| image =

| caption =

| position = Pitcher

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1984|1|8}}

| birth_place= Kerrville, Texas

| bats = Right

| throws = Right

|debutleague = MLB

| debutdate = June 10

| debutyear = 2011

| debutteam = New York Yankees

| finaldate = August 11

| finalyear = 2014

| finalteam = Detroit Tigers

|statleague = MLB

| stat1label = Win–loss record

| stat1value = 0–0

| stat2label = Earned run average

| stat2value = 9.00

| stat3label = Strikeouts

| stat3value = 2

| teams =

New York Yankees ({{mlby|2011}})
Detroit Tigers ({{mlby|2014}})

}}

Kevin J. Whelan (born January 8, 1984) is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher who played for the New York Yankees in 2011 and for the Detroit Tigers in 2014.

Amateur career

Whelan attended Texas A&M University, where he played for the Texas A&M Aggies baseball team. In 2004, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Wareham Gatemen of the Cape Cod Baseball League, where he was named a league all-star and received the league's Outstanding Relief Pitcher award.{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.thebaseballcube.com/college/summer/stats.asp?Y=2004&T=Wareham_Gatemen |title=2004 Wareham Gatemen |publisher=thebaseballcube.com |date= |accessdate=July 20, 2021}}{{cite news | title = 2004 Cape Cod Baseball League postseason awards | pages = 14 | newspaper = Yarmouth Register | location = Yarmouth, MA | date = August 19, 2004 | url = http://digital.olivesoftware.com/Olive/APA/Sturgis/SharedView.Article.aspx?href=DPLTR%2F2004%2F08%2F19&id=Ar01407&sk=402971F3&viewMode=image }}{{cite web|url=http://capecodbaseball.org/news/asgnews/index.html?article_id=533 |title=West All-Star Roster: All-Star Game 2004 |publisher=capecodbaseball.org |access-date=May 6, 2020}}

Professional career

=Detroit Tigers=

Whelan was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the fourth round of the 2005 Major League Baseball Draft.

=New York Yankees=

On November 14, 2006, Whelan was traded to the New York Yankees, along with Humberto Sánchez and Anthony Claggett, for Gary Sheffield.{{cite web|title=Tigers deal three pitchers to Yankees for Sheffield|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=2656847|work=ESPN| date=November 10, 2006 |access-date=June 10, 2011}}

He was called up by the Yankees on June 10, 2011, after recording a 1–1 won–loss record with a 1.67 earned run average and 18 saves as the closer for the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees.{{cite web|last=Calcaterra|first=Craig|title=The Yankees add Kevin Whelan to the bullpen|url=http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/06/10/the-yankees-add-kevin-whelan-to-the-bullpen/|work=NBC Sports|date=June 10, 2011 |accessdate=June 10, 2011}}{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/new-york/mlb/news/story?id=6649909 |title=New York Yankees call up righty Kevin Whelan, option Chris Dickerson |publisher=ESPN |date=June 10, 2011 |access-date=March 19, 2013}} He allowed four consecutive walks after recording two outs in his first ever appearance that same evening.

On January 26, 2012, he was designated for assignment to make room for Hiroki Kuroda.{{cite tweet|user=JonHeyman|author=Jon Heyman|number=162614869714157568|date=26 January 2012|title=#yankees dfa kevin whelan to make room for hiroki kuroda}}

=Cincinnati Reds=

On January 3, 2013, the Cincinnati Reds signed Whelan to a minor league deal.{{cite web|title=Reds sign two righties and outfielder to Minors deals|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130103&content_id=40839066&vkey=news_cin&c_id=cin|first=Mark|last=Sheldon|work=MLB|date=January 3, 2013|accessdate=January 3, 2013}}

=Detroit Tigers (second stint)=

On February 22, 2014, the Tigers signed Whelan to a minor league deal. On August 11, the Tigers purchased his contract from the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens, and he was added to the 25-man active roster.{{cite web|title=Detroit Tigers Add Kevin Whelan, Ian Krol and Justin Miller; Option Blaine Hardy and Pat McCoy|work=Sports Media 101 | Tigers 101 |date=August 11, 2014 |url=http://www.sportsmedia101.com/detroittigers/2014/08/11/detroit-tigers-add-kevin-whelan-ian-krol-and-justin-miller-option-blaine-hardy-and-pat-mccoy/}} Prior to being called up, Whelan had 20 saves for the Toledo Mud Hens, having allowed eight runs on 26 hits over 39 innings with 48 strikeouts.{{cite web| url = http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20140811&content_id=89104668¬ebook_id=89111216&vkey=notebook_det&c_id=det | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140812210230/http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20140811&content_id=89104668¬ebook_id=89111216&vkey=notebook_det&c_id=det | url-status = dead | archive-date = August 12, 2014 | title = Whelan grateful for chance to pitch for Tigers | publisher = MLB | first = Jason | last = Beck | date = August 11, 2014 | accessdate = August 11, 2014 }} In Whelan's debut with the Tigers, he pitched 1{{frac|1|3}} innings, allowing three hits, and two earned runs on back-to-back home runs.{{cite web| url = http://wkzo.com/news/articles/2014/aug/12/tigers-sloppy-play-costs-them-against-pirates/ | title = Tigers sloppy play costs them against Pirates | publisher = WKZO | first = Michael | last = Louden | date = August 11, 2014 | accessdate = August 11, 2014 }} On August 16, Whelan was designated for assignment by the Tigers.{{cite web| url = http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20140816&content_id=89957274¬ebook_id=90040056&vkey=notebook_det&c_id=det | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140819083835/http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20140816&content_id=89957274¬ebook_id=90040056&vkey=notebook_det&c_id=det | url-status = dead | archive-date = August 19, 2014 | title = Tigers call up veteran Johnson to aid 'pen | publisher = MLB | first = Jason | last = Beck | date = August 17, 2014 | accessdate = August 17, 2014 }} The next day on August 17, the Tigers outrighted Whelan to Triple-A.{{cite web| url = http://www.mlive.com/tigers/index.ssf/2014/08/tigers_reliever_kevin_whelan_a.html | title = Tigers reliever Kevin Whelan accepts assignment to Triple-A Toledo after being outrighted by Detroit | publisher = MLive | first = James | last = Schmehl | date = August 19, 2014 | accessdate = August 19, 2014 }} He elected free agency in October 2014.{{cite web|url=http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2014/10/players-who-have-elected-minor-league-free-agency.html|title=Players Who Have Elected Minor League Free Agency|last=Polishuk|first=Mark|work=mlbtraderumors.com|date=October 6, 2014|accessdate=October 6, 2014}}

=Oakland Athletics=

On November 1, 2014, the Oakland Athletics signed Whelan to a minor league contract.{{cite web|title=Athletics sign Kevin Whelan to minor-league deal|url=http://fantasynews.cbssports.com/fantasybaseball/update/24778278/athletics-sign-kevin-whelan-to-minor-league-deal|first=R.J.|last=White|work=CBSSports|date=November 1, 2014|accessdate=November 1, 2014}} He played for the Triple-A Nashville Sounds in 2015 before electing to become a free agent after the season.{{cite web | url=https://www.thebaseballcube.com/content/player/39980/?utm_source=chatgpt.com | title=Kevin Whelan MLB, Minor League, College Baseball Statistics | the Baseball Cube }}