Robbie Erlin

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name = Robbie Erlin

|image = Robbie Erlin on September 3, 2013.jpg

|image_size = 250px

|caption = Erlin with the San Diego Padres in 2013

|team = Free agent

|number =

|position = Pitcher

|birth_place = Oakland, California, U.S.

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1990|10|8}}

|bats = Right

|throws = Left

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate = April 30

|debutyear = 2013

|debutteam = San Diego Padres

|debut2league= NPB

|debut2date = April 17

|debut2year = 2021

|debut2team = Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters

|statyear = 2022 season

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label = Win–loss record

|stat1value = 13–20

|stat2label = Earned run average

|stat2value = 4.87

|stat3label = Strikeouts

|stat3value = 275

|stat2year = 2021 season

|stat2league = NPB

|stat21label = Win–loss record

|stat21value = 2-4

|stat22label = Earned run average

|stat22value = 4.39

|stat23label = Strikeouts

|stat23value = 46

|teams =

San Diego Padres ({{mlby|2013}}–{{mlby|2016}}, {{mlby|2018}}–{{mlby|2019}})
Pittsburgh Pirates ({{mlby|2020}})
Atlanta Braves ({{mlby|2020}})
Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters ({{npby|2021}})
Los Angeles Dodgers ({{mlby|2022}})

}}

Robert Joseph Erlin (born October 8, 1990) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Diego Padres, Pittsburgh Pirates, Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers, and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters.

High school career

Erlin attended Scotts Valley High School in Scotts Valley, California, where he played for the school's baseball team. In 2009, his senior year, he was named Santa Cruz County's Player of the Year. He committed to attend California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) on a baseball scholarship.{{cite web|first=Jim|last=Seimas|url=http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/sports/ci_23097070/robbie-erlin-gets-call-up-from-mlbs-padres|title=Robbie Erlin gets call-up from MLB's San Diego Padres|work=Santa Cruz Sentinel|date=February 18, 2013|access-date=April 25, 2013}}

Professional career

=Texas Rangers=

The Texas Rangers selected Erlin in the third round of the 2009 MLB draft.{{cite web|title=Robert Erlin Stats, Bio, Photos, Highlights|url=http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=572362|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100908012632/http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=572362|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 8, 2010|publisher=MiLB.com|access-date=August 2, 2011}} Erlin signed, bypassing the scholarship with Cal Poly. Erlin spent 2010 in Class-A ball and split 2011 between High-A and Double-A.

=San Diego Padres=

Texas traded Erlin along with fellow Double-A pitcher Joe Wieland to the Padres for reliever Mike Adams at the non-waiver trade deadline on July 31, 2011.{{cite news|last=Center|first=Bill|title=Padres trade Adams, Ludwick; keep Bell, Harang|date=July 31, 2011|newspaper=The San Diego Union-Tribune|url=http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/jul/31/adams-traded-rangers-pitching-prospects-wieland-er/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111230050824/http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/jul/31/adams-traded-rangers-pitching-prospects-wieland-er/|archive-date=December 30, 2011|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}

Erlin was placed with the Double-A San Antonio Missions to finish the 2011 season, where he had a 1.38 ERA in six starts. He opened the 2012 season with San Antonio, but strained his elbow and developed tendinitis, making his last start for the team on May 12.{{fact|date=September 2023}} He rehabbed the elbow late in the season with the Arizona Rookie League,{{cite web|last=Center|first=Bill|title=Rehabbing Kelly, Erlin pitching in Arizona Rookie League|url=http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/Aug/04/rehabbing-kelly-erlin-pitching-arizona-rookie-leag/|publisher=UTSanDiego.com|access-date=January 27, 2014|date=August 4, 2012}} and then pitched in the Arizona Fall League.{{cite web|last=Sickels|first=John|title=Prospect of the Day: Robbie Erlin, LHP, San Diego Padres|url=http://www.minorleagueball.com/2013/4/25/4261468/prospect-of-the-day-robbie-erlin-lhp-san-diego-padres|publisher=SBNation|access-date=January 27, 2014|date=April 25, 2013}} Erlin joined the Tucson Padres of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League for the 2013 season.{{cite web|first=Jim|last=Seimas|url=http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/scottsvalley/ci_22976859/scotts-valleys-robbie-erlin-makes-triple-debut|title=Scotts Valley's Robbie Erlin makes Triple-A debut|work=Santa Cruz Sentinel|date=March 13, 2013|access-date=April 25, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130409091513/http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/scottsvalley/ci_22976859/scotts-valleys-robbie-erlin-makes-triple-debut|archive-date=April 9, 2013|df=mdy-all}} He shuttled back and forth between Tucson and the Major League team, posting an 8-3 record and 5.07 ERA in 20 games with Tucson in 2013.

In 2014 with three Padres minor league teams, he was 0-1 with a 5.87 ERA.{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=erlin-001rob|title=Robbie Erlin Minor & Fall Leagues Statistics & History|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}

In 2015 with El Paso, where he spent most of the season, he was 7-6 with a 5.60 ERA.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/player/robbie-erlin-572362|title=Robbie Erlin Stats, Fantasy & News|website=MLB.com}}

File:Robbie Erlin on May 22, 2013.jpg in {{Baseball year|2013}}]]

Erlin was promoted to the Major Leagues on April 24, 2013,{{cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130424&content_id=45704908¬ebook_id=45705010&vkey=notebook_sd&c_id=sd|title=Padres call up lefty prospect Erlin, option Weber|work=MLB.com|date=April 24, 2013|access-date=April 25, 2013}} and made two appearances in relief before he was optioned back to Tucson on May 2.{{fact|date=September 2023}} Erlin was recalled on June 1 for his first Major League start against the Toronto Blue Jays.{{cite web|url=http://sandiego.padres.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130601&content_id=49331520&vkey=pr_sd&c_id=sd|title=Padres recall LHP Robbie Erlin and LHP Tommy Layne from Triple-A Tucson and place RHP Huston Street on 15-day DL|date=June 1, 2013|access-date=June 1, 2013|work=San Diego Padres}}{{dead link|date=October 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} Erlin won the first decision of his career in that start as the Padres defeated the Toronto Blue Jays, 4–3.{{fact|date=September 2023}} He was optioned back to Tucson on June 2.{{cite web|url=http://sandiego.padres.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130602&content_id=49430114&vkey=pr_sd&c_id=sd|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201203126/http://sandiego.padres.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130602&content_id=49430114&vkey=pr_sd&c_id=sd|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 1, 2014|title=Padres recall RHP Brad Boxberger from Triple-A Tucson; option LHP Robbie Erlin to Triple-A Tucson|work=MLB.com|date=June 2, 2013|access-date=June 2, 2013}} Erlin was promoted for a third stint on June 26 to take the rotation spot of Clayton Richard, who went to the disabled list.{{cite web|last=Center|first=Bill|title=Erlin promoted to fill void in rotation|url=http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/Jun/25/mlb-padres-erlin-rotation/|publisher=UTSanDiego.com|access-date=January 27, 2014|date=June 25, 2013}} Erlin was roughed up in successive starts in Boston and Washington in July, unable to get through the fifth inning in either start, and was optioned back to Tucson on July 8.{{cite web|last=Seimas|first=Jim|title=Scotts Valley's Robbie Erlin reflects on rookie season in MLB|url=http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/news/ci_24375905/scotts-valleys-robbie-erlin-reflects-rookie-season-mlb|publisher=Santa Cruz Sentinel|access-date=January 27, 2014|date=October 23, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140127033616/http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/news/ci_24375905/scotts-valleys-robbie-erlin-reflects-rookie-season-mlb|archive-date=January 27, 2014|df=mdy-all}} Erlin was recalled late in the season to take the rotation spot of Edinson Vólquez.{{cite web|last=Brock|first=Corey|title=Erlin to take Volquez's spot in rotation|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130827&content_id=58649874¬ebook_id=58654338&vkey=notebook_sd&c_id=sd|work=MLB.com|access-date=January 27, 2014|date=August 27, 2013}} He fared better in his final stint of 2013, not allowing more than two runs in any of his five starts to finish the season. For the year, he went 3–3 with a 4.12 ERA with the Major League club.

In 2014 with the Padres, he was 4-5 with a 4.99 ERA. He missed most of the season with left elbow soreness. In 2015 with San Diego, he was 1-2 with a 4.76 ERA.

On May 3, 2016, Erlin was diagnosed with a partially torn UCL. He underwent Tommy John surgery on his left elbow that month and missed the remainder of the 2016 season. For the season, in 15.2 innings he was 1-2 with a 4.02 ERA. Following the non-tenders of Alexi Amarista and Tyson Ross after the 2016 MLB season, Erlin became the longest tenured Padre.{{citation needed|date=April 2018}}

Erlin returned to the Padres in 2018, making the Opening Day roster as a long reliever out of the bullpen.{{Cite web|url=https://www.santacruzsentinel.com/sports/20180328/former-scotts-valley-high-teammates-robbie-erlin-shane-carle-ready-for-mlbs-opening-day|title=Former Scotts Valley High teammates Robbie Erlin, Shane Carle ready for MLB's Opening Day|date=March 28, 2018}} He moved to the starting rotation full-time after Tyson Ross and Jordan Lyles were waived. In 39 appearances (12 starts), he finished 4-7 with an ERA of 4.21 in 109 innings. In 2019, Erlin recorded an ERA of 5.37 in {{frac|55|1|3}} innings. He became a free agent following the 2019 season.{{fact|date=September 2023}}

=Pittsburgh Pirates=

On January 29, 2020, Erlin signed a minor league deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates.{{cite news |last1=Adamski |first1=Chris |title=Pirates sign LHP Robbie Erlin, C Andrew Susac, OF Charlie Tilson to minor league deals |url=https://triblive.com/sports/pirates-sign-lhp-robbie-erlin-c-andrew-susac-of-charlie-tilson-to-minor-league-deals/ |access-date=September 14, 2020 |work=Pittsburgh Tribune Review |date=January 31, 2020}}{{cite news |last1=Wilborn |first1=Nubyjas |title=Pirates sign reliever Robbie Erlin to minor league deal |url=https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/pirates/2020/01/29/robbie-erlin-pirates-bullpen-addition/stories/202001290175 |access-date=September 14, 2020 |work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |date=January 29, 2020}} On July 20, 2020, Erlin had his contract selected to the 40-man roster. Erlin was designated for assignment on August 2.

{{cite news |title=MLBs Pirates designate Robbie Erlin for assignment |url=https://www.santacruzsentinel.com/2020/08/03/mlbs-pirates-designate-robbie-erlin-for-assignment-local-roundup/ |access-date=September 14, 2020 |work=Santa Cruz Sentinel |date=August 2, 2020}}

=Atlanta Braves=

On August 7, 2020, the Atlanta Braves claimed Erlin off waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates.{{cite news |last1=Burns |first1=Gabriel |title=Chris Martin out for Braves' road trip with esophageal constriction |url=https://www.ajc.com/sports/atlanta-braves/chris-martin-out-for-braves-road-trip-with-esophageal-constriction/R7FCSBQGEVBGZK7XB5ZCNDBRA4/ |access-date=August 16, 2020 |work=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution |date=August 7, 2020}} Erlin was designated for assignment by the Braves on September 12, 2020.{{cite news |last1=Bowman |first1=Mark |title=Braves' rotation solidifying as Newk recalled |url=https://www.mlb.com/braves/news/braves-recall-sean-newcomb |access-date=September 13, 2020 |work=MLB.com |date=September 12, 2020}} Erlin was released by the Braves on September 14.{{cite news |last1=Burns |first1=Gabriel |title=Braves release lefty Robbie Erlin |url=https://www.ajc.com/sports/atlanta-braves/braves-release-lefty-robbie-erlin/RJIDYCZUX5BHZM6CTQMTL4OXEM/ |access-date=September 14, 2020 |work=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution |date=September 14, 2020}}

=Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters=

On November 30, 2020, Erlin signed a one-year contract with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of Nippon Professional Baseball.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2020/11/robbie-erlin-to-sign-with-nippon-ham-fighters.html|title = Robbie Erlin to Sign with Nippon Ham Fighters| date=November 30, 2020 }} Erlin made his NPB debut on April 17, 2021, allowing an earned run in two innings of work.{{fact|date=September 2023}} He became a free agent following the 2021 season.{{fact|date=September 2023}}

=Los Angeles Dodgers=

Erlin signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers on February 14, 2022.{{cite web | url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/02/dodgers-sign-robbie-erlin.html | title=Dodgers Sign Robbie Erlin to Minor League Deal | date=February 22, 2022 }} He was assigned to the Triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers and was called up to the major leagues on May 7 as the 27th man for a doubleheader.{{cite web|url=https://www.truebluela.com/2022/5/7/23061117/dodgers-roster-robbie-erlin-27th-player-doubleheader|title=Dodgers call up Robbie Erlin as 27th player for doubleheader against Cubs|work=SB Nation|first=Eric|last=Stephen|date=May 7, 2022|accessdate=May 7, 2022}} He pitched two innings for the Dodgers over two games, allowing two runs on two hits before he was designated for assignment on May 11.{{cite web|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/05/dodgers-designate-robbie-erlin-for-assignment.html|title=Dodgers Designate Robbie Erlin For Assignment|work=MLB Trade Rumors|first=Tim|last=Dierkes|date=May 11, 2022|accessdate=May 11, 2022}} He pitched in 21 games for Oklahoma City (14 starts) and was 5–4 with a 7.36 ERA.

On February 3, 2023, Erlin re-signed with the Dodgers on a minor league contract.{{Cite web|title=2023 Los Angeles Dodgers Spring Training Non-Roster Invitees|url=https://dodgerblue.com/2023-los-angeles-dodgers-spring-training-non-roster-invitees-prospects-and-veterans/2023/02/03/amp/|access-date=2023-02-03|website=dodgerblue.com|date=February 3, 2023 |language=en |last1=Moreno |first1=Matthew }} He returned to Oklahoma City, where he pitched in 17 games (16 starts) and logged a 4–2 record and 5.83 ERA. Erlin elected free agency following the season on November 6.{{Cite web|title=2023 MiLB Free Agents|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/2023-milb-free-agents/|access-date=May 17, 2024|website=baseballamerica.com|date=November 8, 2023 |language=en}}

Pitching style

Erlin has an average fastball in the {{convert|88|to|90|mph}} range, but he is able to contrast it with an outstanding curveball and above-average changeup. He will also mix in cutters and sliders to give hitters a different look.

Personal life

Erlin's father, Rick, is the baseball coach at Scotts Valley.{{cite web|url=http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/sports/20150309/santa-cruz-county-baseball-preview-teams-look-to-veterans-to-break-through-sccal-logjam|title=Santa Cruz County Baseball Preview: Teams look to veterans to break through SCCAL logjam|first=Jim|last=Seimas|work=Santa Cruz Sentinel|date=March 9, 2015|access-date=March 10, 2015}} {{Clear}}