Sean Runyan

{{Short description|American baseball player (born 1974)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}

{{Infobox baseball biography

| name = Sean Runyan

| image =

| image_size =

| caption =

| position = Pitcher

| team =

| number =

| bats = Left

| throws = Left

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1974|06|21}}

| birth_place = Fort Smith, Arkansas, U.S.

| debutleague = MLB

| debutdate = March 31

| debutyear = 1998

| debutteam = Detroit Tigers

| finalleague = MLB

| finaldate = September 9

| finalyear = 2000

| finalteam = Detroit Tigers

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label=Win–loss record

|stat1value=1–5

|stat2label=Earned run average

|stat2value=3.66

|stat3label=Strikeouts

|stat3value=46

|teams=

• Detroit Tigers ({{mlby|1998}}–{{mlby|2000}})

}}

Sean David Runyan (born June 21, 1974) is a former Major League Baseball player.

After attending Urbandale High School in Urbandale, Iowa, Runyan was drafted by the Houston Astros in the 5th round of the 1992 amateur draft.{{cite news | title=Padres deal off Eischen, Lopez | work=Copley News Service | first=Bill | last=Center | date=March 17, 1997}} After several seasons in the minors with the Quad City River Bandits, the Astros traded him to the San Diego Padres in 1997 for Luis Lopez,{{cite news | title=Angels' Finley out; Elsewhere | work=Austin American-Statesman | date=March 17, 1997 | page=C4}} but was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the Rule 5 draft that same year.{{cite news | title=American League notes | work=Fresno Bee | date=December 16, 1997 | page=D2}}

Runyan's major league debut came on March 31, 1998. He would be used as a left-handed specialist out of the Tigers bullpen, and would go on to lead the American League in appearances with 88. The 88 appearances were 2 short of the American League record, but were enough to set the record for rookies.{{cite news | title=Protecting Young Arms a Priority | work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | first=Paul | last=Meyer | page=C7 | date=August 31, 2006}} Runyan was mostly a specialist but did pick up one career save. On July 11, 1998, Runyan pitched 1 1/3 innings to close out a 5-2 Tigers victory over the Blue Jays. He saved the game for starting pitcher Brian Moehler. {{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/DET/DET199807110.shtml|title=Toronto Blue Jays at Detroit Tigers Box Score, July 11, 1998}}

After dealing with arm troubles, Runyan pitched his final game on September 9, 2000. For his career, he pitched parts of 3 seasons, all in Detroit, and was out of baseball by 2003.