Matt Grace

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name = Matt Grace

|image = Matt Grace during warmups on July 13, 2018 (1) (cropped).jpg

|caption = Grace with the Nationals in 2018

|width =

|position = Pitcher

|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1988|12|14}}

|birth_place = Palos Verdes, California, U.S.

|bats = Left

|throws = Left

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate = April 22

|debutyear = 2015

|debutteam = Washington Nationals

| finalleague = MLB

| finaldate = August 26

| finalyear = 2020

| finalteam = Arizona Diamondbacks

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label = Win–loss record

|stat1value = 5–5

|stat2label = Earned run average

|stat2value = 4.57

|stat3label = Strikeouts

|stat3value = 134

|awards =

|teams =

Washington Nationals ({{mlby|2015}}–{{mlby|2019}})
Arizona Diamondbacks ({{mlby|2020}})

}}

Matthew Aaron Grace (born December 14, 1988) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Washington Nationals and Arizona Diamondbacks.

Career

=Amateur career=

Grace graduated from Palos Verdes High School{{cite web|last=Thorpe |first=Dave |url=https://www.dailybreeze.com/2014/07/10/former-palos-verdes-high-ucla-baseball-star-matt-grace-a-phone-call-away-from-major-leagues/ |title=Former Palos Verdes High, UCLA baseball star Matt Grace a phone call away from major leagues – Daily Breeze |date=July 10, 2014 |publisher=Dailybreeze.com |access-date=August 20, 2020}} and then played college baseball at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) for the UCLA Bruins from 2008 to 2010. He was mostly a relief pitcher, but started six games during his career. Over his three-year career at UCLA, he pitched in 72 games, going 4–4 with a 3.92 earned run average (ERA) and 75 strikeouts. In 2009, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Cotuit Kettleers of the Cape Cod Baseball League.{{cite web|url=http://capecodbaseball.org.ismmedia.com/ISM3/std-content/repos/Top/2012website/archives/Current%20Year/All_Time_MLB_CCBL_Alumni.pdf |title=Major League Baseball Players From the Cape Cod League |publisher=capecodbaseball.org |access-date=September 25, 2019}}{{cite web|url=http://www.thebaseballcube.com/college/summer/stats.asp?Y=2009&T=Cotuit_Kettleers |title=2009 Cotuit Kettleers |publisher=thebaseballcube.com |accessdate=September 23, 2021}}

=Washington Nationals=

File:Matt Grace Nationals spring 2015.jpg

Grace was drafted by the Washington Nationals in the eighth round of the 2010 Major League Baseball Draft.[http://www.pennlive.com/senators/index.ssf/2014/06/matt_graces_near-perfect_relie.html Matt Grace's near-perfect relief lands him Harrisburg Senators Player of the Week honors]{{cite web|author=Dave Thorpe |url=http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/sports/20100821/south-bay-draftees-making-noise |title=South Bay draftees making noise |date=August 21, 2010 |publisher=Pasadenastarnews.com |access-date=August 20, 2020}} He was converted into a starting pitcher with the Nationals and made his professional debut that season with the Gulf Coast Nationals. After spending three seasons without success starting, Grace was moved back to relieving before the 2013 season.{{cite web|last=Kerr |first=Byron |url=http://www.masnsports.com/byron-kerr/2013/10/benincasa-grace-promotions-reveal-strong-nationals-system.html |title=Benincasa, Grace promotions reveal strong Nationals system |publisher=Masnsports.com |date=October 7, 2013 |access-date=August 20, 2020}} Grace spent 2014 with the Double-A Hagerstown Suns and Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs.[https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/nationals-journal/wp/2014/06/26/matt-grace-moves-on-to-the-nationals-radar/ Matt Grace moves on to the Nationals radar]{{cite web|last=Thorpe |first=Dave |url=http://www.dailybreeze.com/sports/20140710/former-palos-verdes-high-ucla-baseball-star-matt-grace-a-phone-call-away-from-major-leagues |title=Former Palos Verdes High, UCLA baseball star Matt Grace a phone call away from major leagues |date=July 10, 2014 |publisher=Dailybreeze.com |access-date=August 20, 2020}}

Grace made his major league debut with the Nationals on April 22, 2015, pitching a scoreless inning in relief against the St. Louis Cardinals.{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/ucla/uclanow/la-sp-ucla-matt-grace-mlb-debut-nationals-20150422-story.html|work=Los Angeles Times|title=Former UCLA pitcher Matt Grace makes MLB debut|first=Shotgun|last=Spratling|date=April 22, 2015|access-date=July 15, 2017}} After an outing against the Cincinnati Reds on May 31, 2015, in which he gave up four runs without recording an out, the Nationals optioned Grace back to Syracuse.{{cite news|url=https://www.foxnews.com/sports/nats-send-grace-to-minors.amp|agency=FOX News|title=Nats send Grace to minors|date=June 1, 2015|access-date=July 15, 2017}} Grace spent most of the remainder of the 2015 season and then the 2016 season with the Chiefs, being promoted for brief stints in both seasons after rosters expanded in September.{{cite news|url=http://districtondeck.com/2015/11/14/washington-nationals-2015-payer-review-matt-grace/|agency=District on Deck|title=Washington Nationals 2015 Player Review: Matt Grace|date=November 14, 2015|access-date=July 15, 2017|first=Ricky|last=Keeler}}{{cite news|url=http://www.masnsports.com/masn-news-information/2016/09/nationals-add-seven-players-to-active-roster.html|agency=MASN Sports|title=Nationals add seven players to active roster|date=September 2, 2016|access-date=July 15, 2017}}

In the 2017 season, a shaky first-half performance by the Nationals' bullpen and a string of injuries to major league pitchers meant Grace served as a regular up-and-down reliever, shuttling between the Nationals and the Chiefs as needed.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/nationals-journal/wp/2017/06/15/nationals-recall-matt-grace-option-trevor-gott-to-syracuse/|newspaper=The Washington Post|title=Nationals recall Matt Grace, option Trevor Gott to Syracuse|first=Jorge|last=Castillo|date=June 15, 2017|access-date=July 15, 2017}} On July 14, 2017, Grace was called upon with the bases loaded and two outs in the ninth inning of a 5–0 game against the Reds, in his first appearance at Great American Ball Park since May 31, 2015, and induced a game-ending groundout to secure his first major league save.{{cite news|url=http://www.kentucky.com/sports/article161537653.html|title=Bryce Harper homers twice, Nationals beat Reds 5-0|first=Joe|last=Kay|work=Lexington Herald-Leader|date=July 14, 2017|access-date=July 15, 2017}}

On August 30, 2019, the Nationals designated Grace for assignment after he posted a 6.36 earned run average across {{frac|46|2|3}} innings{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2019/08/30/nationals-reshuffle-bullpen-dfa-matt-grace-ahead-marlins-series/|title=Nationals reshuffle bullpen, designate Matt Grace for assignment ahead of Marlins series|agency=washingtonpost.com|last=Sam Fortier and Jesse Dougherty|date=August 30, 2019|access-date=August 31, 2019}} in 51 appearances during the 2019 season. He was outrighted to the Class-AAA Fresno Grizzlies after clearing waivers.{{cite news|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/nationals-matt-grace-sent-outright-to-triple-a/|agency=CBS Sports|title=Nationals' Matt Grace: Sent outright to Triple-A|date=September 2, 2019|access-date=September 3, 2019}} He elected free agency on October 1, 2019.

=Arizona Diamondbacks=

Grace signed a minor league contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks, who invited to major league spring training, on November 18, 2019.{{cite news|url=https://www.milb.com/reno/news/d-backs-ink-grace-mella-cabrera-assigned-to-reno-311904424|agency=Minor League Baseball|title=D-Backs Ink Grace, Mella, Cabrera, Assigned to Reno|date=November 18, 2019|access-date=November 18, 2019}} The Diamondbacks added Grace to the active roster on August 19, 2020.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/press-release/press-release-d-backs-select-the-contract-of-matt-grace-place-andrew-chafin-on-i|title=D-backs select the contract of Matt Grace from alternate training site; place Andrew Chafin on 10-day injured list|website=MLB.com}} On August 27, 2020, Grace was designated for assignment after he posted a 54.00 earned run average across 1 inning over 3 games.{{cite web|title=Diamondbacks' Matt Grace: Designated for assignment|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/diamondbacks-matt-grace-designated-for-assignment/|author=RotoWire Staff|website=azcardinals.com|date=August 27, 2020}} Grace elected free agency on October 6, 2020.