Parker Bridwell

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name=Parker Bridwell

|position=Pitcher

|image=Parker Bridwell (36700596365) (cropped).jpg

|caption=Bridwell with the Los Angeles Angels

|bats=Right

|throws=Right

|birth_date={{birth date and age|1991|8|2}}

|birth_place=Hereford, Texas, U.S.

| debutleague = MLB

| debutdate = August 21

| debutyear = 2016

| debutteam = Baltimore Orioles

| finalleague = MLB

| finaldate = September 30

| finalyear = 2018

| finalteam = Los Angeles Angels

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label= Win–loss record

|stat1value= 11–3

|stat2label= Earned run average

|stat2value= 4.60

|stat3label= Strikeouts

|stat3value= 79

|teams=

Baltimore Orioles ({{mlby|2016}})
Los Angeles Angels ({{mlby|2017}}–{{mlby|2018}})

}}

Parker Alan Bridwell (born August 2, 1991) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. The Baltimore Orioles selected Bridwell in the ninth round of the 2010 MLB draft. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Orioles and the Los Angeles Angels.

Career

=Amateur career=

Bridwell attended Hereford High School in Hereford, Texas, where he was a three-sport athlete, playing baseball, American football, and basketball. In American football, he played quarterback and punter. In baseball, he played as a pitcher, and was named to the All-State third-team by the Texas Sports Writers Association.{{cite web|url=http://www.wacotrib.com/sports/high_schools/class-a-high-school-baseball-all-state-team/article_f4f3c9ef-2b47-51ee-8936-97215aafbca4.html|title=Class 4A high school baseball all-state team – WacoTrib.com: High Schools|work=WacoTrib.com|date=July 10, 2010 |access-date=September 19, 2014}} He committed to attend Texas Tech University and play college baseball and college football for the Texas Tech Red Raiders.{{cite web|url=http://amarillo.com/stories/2010/05/21/hss_16620703.shtml|title=Texas Tech recruit Bridwell a three-sport star for Herd|author=Lee Passmore|work=amarillo.com|access-date=January 22, 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://www.latimes.com/sports/angels/la-sp-angels-bridwell-20170720-story.html|title=After years of toil, the Angels' Parker Bridwell is seeing things break his way|first=Pedro|last=Moura|work=Los Angeles Times|date=July 20, 2017|access-date=August 1, 2017}}

=Baltimore Orioles=

The Baltimore Orioles selected Bridwell in the ninth round, with the 268th overall pick, of the 2010 Major League Baseball draft.{{cite web|url=http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2014-05-22/sports/bal-orioles-minors-parker-bridwell-frederick-keys-20140522_1_parker-bridwell-high-a-frederick-changeup|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141028045230/http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2014-05-22/sports/bal-orioles-minors-parker-bridwell-frederick-keys-20140522_1_parker-bridwell-high-a-frederick-changeup|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 28, 2014|title=Parker Bridwell's improvement in Frederick driven by focus, rediscovered changeup – Baltimore Sun|work=Baltimore Sun|access-date=September 19, 2014}} The Orioles offered Bridwell a $750,000 signing bonus. When MLB refused to approve it, he signed with Baltimore for a $625,000 bonus. In 2011, Bridwell played for the Aberdeen Ironbirds of the Low–A New York–Penn League, and was named their Opening Day starting pitcher.{{cite web|url=http://www.masnsports.com/steve-melewski/2011/06/bridwell-will-be-aberdeens-opening-night-starter.html|title=Steve Melewski: Bridwell will be Aberdeen's opening night starter|work=MASNsports|access-date=September 19, 2014}} Bridwell spent two seasons with the Delmarva Shorebirds of the Single–A South Atlantic League. In 2014, he pitched for the Frederick Keys of the High–A Carolina League. On May 19, he was named the Carolina League's pitcher of the week.{{cite web|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2014/05/19/bowies-christian-walker-fredericks-parker-bridwell-receive-weekly-honor/|title=Bowie's Christian Walker, Frederick's Parker Bridwell receive weekly honor|work=Baltimore Sun|date=May 19, 2014 |access-date=September 19, 2014}} The Orioles assigned Bridwell to the Arizona Fall League after the 2014 season.{{cite web|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/news/orioles-announce-arizona-fall-league-220250492.html|title=Orioles announce Arizona Fall League 2014 prospects, including Parker Bridwell, Zach Davies|date=August 26, 2014|work=Yahoo! Sports|access-date=November 20, 2014}} Bridwell played for the Bowie Baysox of the Double–A Eastern League in 2015, and was added to the Orioles' 40-man roster after the season.{{cite web|url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-lee-triggs-and-bridwell-added-to-40man-roster-20151120-story.html|title=Chris Lee, Andrew Triggs and Parker Bridwell added to Orioles' 40-man roster|author=Baltimore Sun|date=November 20, 2015|work=baltimoresun.com|access-date=March 27, 2016}}

Bridwell began the 2016 season with the Norfolk Tides of the Triple–A International League. The Orioles promoted him to the major leagues on August 21.{{cite web|url=http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2016/08/orioles-call-up-parker-bridwell.html|title=Orioles call up Parker Bridwell|first=Roch|last=Kubatko|publisher=|access-date=August 1, 2017}} He pitched in two games for Baltimore. In the second, he allowed a grand slam, and he was optioned to the minor leagues after the game.

=Los Angeles Angels=

The Orioles traded Bridwell to the Los Angeles Angels for cash considerations on April 17, 2017.{{cite web|url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-orioles-trade-parker-bridwell-to-angels-outright-jason-garcia-back-to-double-a-bowie-20170417-story.html|title=Orioles trade Parker Bridwell to Angels, outright Jason Garcia back to Double-A Bowie|first=Eduardo A.|last=Encina|publisher=|access-date=August 1, 2017}} He earned a spot in the Angels' starting rotation. Bridwell got his first extended look in the majors, pitching in 21 games, 20 starts, 73 strikeouts in 121 innings.{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bridwpa01.shtml|title=Parker Bridwell Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More|website=Baseball-Reference.com|accessdate=May 12, 2023}} He finished with a 10–3 record with a 3.64 ERA. His nine straight road wins to begin a career was tied with the Brooklyn Dodgers' Clem Labine for second-longest such streak all-time, behind that of Whitey Ford.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/player/parker-bridwell-592170|title=Parker Bridwell Stats, Fantasy & News|website=MLB.com|accessdate=May 12, 2023}}

Bridwell did not pitch in most of the 2018 season due to right elbow inflammation.{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/25386162/yanks-claim-parker-bridwell-waivers-angels-dfa-ronald-torreyes|title=Yanks claim Bridwell from Angels, DFA Torreyes|date=November 26, 2018|website=ESPN.com|accessdate=May 12, 2023}} He was 1–0 in {{frac|6|2|3}} innings. On November 20, 2018, he was designated for assignment.{{cite web|last=Guardado |first=Maria |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/suarez-rengifo-added-to-angels-40-man-roster/c-300997964 |title=Suarez, Rengifo added to Angels 40-man roster |work=MLB.com |date=May 24, 2018 |access-date=December 17, 2018}}

The New York Yankees claimed Bridwell off waivers on November 26, 2018.{{cite web|url=https://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/ny-sports-parker-bridwell-ronald-torreyes-20181126-story.html|title=Yankees drop fan favorite to make room for pitcher Parker Bridwell – NY Daily News|first=Mark|last=Fischer|website=nydailynews.com|date=November 26, 2018 |access-date=December 17, 2018}} The Yankees designated Bridwell for assignment on December 17.{{cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/ja-happ-signs-two-year-deal-with-yankees/c-301925016 |title=J.A. Happ signs two-year deal with Yankees |work=MLB.com |date= |access-date=December 17, 2018}} Bridwell was re-claimed by the Angels on December 21.{{cite web|title=Angels re-claim Bridwell on waivers from Yanks|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/angels-claim-parker-bridwell-on-waivers/c-302138786|work=MLB.com|author=Bollinger, Rhett|date=December 21, 2018|access-date=December 21, 2018}} He was once again designated for assignment on January 15, 2019.{{cite tweet|user=mlbrostermoves|number=1085361401311444994|title=Twitter post}} (subscription required) On January 22, Bridwell was claimed off waivers by the Oakland Athletics. Bridwell was outrighted off the roster on January 25, and was released by the organization on April 6.

On April 9, 2019, Bridwell re–signed with the Angels on a minor league contract.{{Cite web|title=Angels, Parker Bridwell Agree To Minor League Deal|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2019/04/angels-sign-parker-bridwell.html|access-date=August 16, 2024|website=mlbtraderumors.com|date=April 10, 2019 |language=en}} In 22 games (12 starts) for the Triple–A Salt Lake Bees, he compiled a 6–6 record and 8.12 ERA with 79 strikeouts over {{fraction|88|2|3}} innings pitched. Bridwell elected free agency following the season on November 4.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/minor-league-free-agents-2019/|title=Minor League Free Agents 2019|author=Matt Eddy|website=Baseball America|date=November 7, 2019|access-date=November 7, 2019}}

=Minnesota Twins=

On January 28, 2020, Bridwell signed a minor league contract with the Minnesota Twins. Bridwell did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite web|title=2020 Minor League Baseball season cancelled|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/2020-minor-league-baseball-season-canceled|access-date=July 23, 2023|website=mlb.com|language=en}} He became a free agent on November 2.{{Cite web|title=Full List of 2020-2021 MiLB Free Agents|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/full-list-of-2020-2021-milb-free-agents/|access-date=September 17, 2024|website=baseballamerica.com|date=November 2, 2020 |language=en}}