Blaine Patrick Hardy (born March 14, 1987) is an American former professional

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("Pitch (baseball), pitches") the Baseball (ball), baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of out (baseball), retiring a batter (baseball), batter, ...

. He played in

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...

(MLB) for the

Detroit Tigers The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. One of the AL's eight chart ...

and

Milwaukee Brewers The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. The Brewers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Di ...

College career

Hardy attended

Edmonds-Woodway High School Edmonds Woodway High School is one of five high schools in the Edmonds School District in Edmonds, Washington, United States. It serves students in grades 9–12. It was ranked as the No. 318 high school in America by ''Newsweek Magazine'' in ...

Edmonds, Washington Edmonds is a city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. It is located in the southwest corner of the county, facing Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains to the west. The city is part of the Seattle metropolitan area and is located ...

, graduating in 2005. He then enrolled at the University of Portland in 2006 where he played for the school's

college baseball College baseball is baseball that is played by Student athlete, student-athletes at institutions of higher education. In the United States, college baseball is sanctioned mainly by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA); in Japan, ...

team. Hardy then transferred to Bellevue College for the 2007 season, and would go on to play for

Lewis–Clark State College Lewis-Clark State College is a public college in Lewiston, Idaho, United States. It was founded in 1893 and has an approximate annual enrollment of 3,600. The college offers more than 130 degrees. History In 1893, Governor William J. McConn ...

in 2008. Hardy was a member of the Lewis–Clark

National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) established in 1940, is a college athletics association for higher education, colleges and universities in North America. Most colleges and universities in the NAIA offer athletic schola ...

World Series The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB). It has been contested since between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winning team, determined through a best- ...

championship team in 2008.

Professional career

Kansas City Royals

The

Kansas City Royals The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The team ...

selected Hardy in the 22nd round of the 2008 MLB Draft. In 2009, Hardy appeared with the Double-A

Northwest Arkansas Naturals The Northwest Arkansas Naturals are a Minor League Baseball team based in Springdale, Arkansas, Springdale, Arkansas. The team is a member of the Texas League, and serves as the Double-A (baseball), Double-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. T ...

and Triple-A

Omaha Royals Omaha ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nebraska. It is located in the Midwestern United States along the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's 41st-most-populous city, Omaha had a popu ...

. In 2011, Hardy was invited to Spring Training, but did not make the club and was assigned to the Triple-A

Omaha Storm Chasers The Omaha Storm Chasers are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. They are located in Papillion, Nebraska, a suburb southwest of Omaha, Nebraska, Omah ...

, and split the season between Omaha and Northwest Arkansas. In 2012, Hardy split the season again between the Storm Chasers and Naturals before being released during

spring training Spring training, also called spring camp, is the preseason of the Summer Professional Baseball Leagues, such as Major League Baseball (MLB), and it is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spri ...

on March 21, 2013.

Detroit Tigers

Hardy signed with the

in April 2013, and they assigned him to the

Erie SeaWolves The Erie SeaWolves are an American professional baseball team based in Erie, Pennsylvania. They compete in Minor League Baseball (MiLB) as a member of the Eastern League's Southwest Division, serving as the Double-A affiliate of the Detroit Ti ...

of the

Class AA Double-A (officially Class AA) is the second-highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States since 1946, below only Triple-A. There are currently 30 teams classified at the Double-A level, one for each team in Major League B ...

Eastern League. Hardy finished with a 2–2 record and a 1.63

earned run average In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the average of earned runs allowed by a pitcher per nine innings pitched (i.e. the traditional length of a game). It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number ...

(ERA) as a reliever before he was promoted to the

Toledo Mud Hens The Toledo Mud Hens are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. They are located in Toledo, Ohio, and play their home games at Fifth Third Field. A baseball team nicknamed the ...

of the

Class AAA Triple-A (officially Class AAA) has been the highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States since 1946. Currently, two leagues operate at the Triple-A level, the International League (IL) and the Pacific Coast League (PCL). ...

International League The International League (IL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the United States. Along with the Pacific Coast League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A level, which is one grade below Major ...

. He was pressed into duty as a

starting pitcher In baseball (hardball or softball), a starting pitcher or starter is the first pitcher in the game for each team. A pitcher is credited with a game started if they throw the first pitch to the opponent's first batter of a game. Starting pit ...

due to a pitching shortage and performed well. He finished the season with an 8–3 record and a 1.67 ERA between Double-A Erie and Triple-A Toledo.

2014

Hardy was a non-roster invitee to spring training in 2014, and impressed as he competed for a role as the team's

long reliever A long reliever or long-relief pitcher is a relief pitcher in baseball who enters the game if the starting pitcher leaves the game early. Long relievers often enter in the first three innings of a game when the starting pitcher cannot continue, w ...

. The Tigers reassigned him to minor league camp towards the end of spring training. On June 15, 2014, the Detroit Tigers purchased Hardy's contract from Triple-A Toledo, and he was added to the 25-man roster. Hardy made his major league debut for the Detroit Tigers the next day in a game against the

, pitching two scoreless innings, allowing one hit, walking two and striking out two. He performed well in his first major league season, posting a 2.54 ERA in 39 innings pitched.

2015

Hardy made the Tiger roster for

Opening Day Opening Day is the day on which professional baseball leagues begin their regular season. For Major League Baseball (MLB) and most of the American minor leagues, this day typically falls during the first week of April, although in recent year ...

in the 2015 season, but was held back for extended spring training due to a minor injury. On August 23, 2015, Hardy's homerless streak of innings ended after allowing a home run to Mike Napoli. This was the longest active homerless innings streak in the major leagues. The last time Hardy had allowed a home run was to Jason Castro on June 27, 2014. Hardy holds the franchise record for the most appearances by a left-hander without allowing a home run, at 87, and was two appearances away from tying Bernie Boland's record for 89 homerless appearances. He would finish the season with a 3.08 ERA, while striking out 55 batters in innings. He appeared in a team-high 70 games in 2015.

2016

On May 12, 2016, Hardy was optioned to the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens. He made seven appearances between June 6 and 18 before being optioned to Toledo again. He was called up to the Tigers again in August, and pitched three scoreless innings of an August 9 game against the

Seattle Mariners The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. The Mariners compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West Division. The team joined the American ...

. For the 2016 season, Hardy made 21 relief appearances, posting a 1–0 record with a 3.51 ERA in innings pitched.

2017

Hardy again split time between Toledo and Detroit in 2017. He struggled with the Tigers this season, posting a 5.94 ERA and 1.77 WHIP while striking out 28 batters in innings. On November 25, 2017, the Tigers avoided arbitration with Hardy, agreeing on a one-year contract.

2018

On March 25, 2018, Hardy was outrighted to Triple-A Toledo by the Tigers. On May 4, 2018, the Tigers purchased Hardy's minor league contract and added him to the roster. Hardy made his first major league start on May 13, giving up two earned runs in innings against the

, while throwing a career-high 79 pitches. In his third start on May 27, Hardy went a career-high seven innings and threw 85 pitches, giving up just one run and three hits against the

Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The club plays its ...

to earn his first major league win as a starter. Due to injuries to Francisco Liriano and Jordan Zimmermann, Hardy continued to pitch in the Tigers starting rotation through the month of June. He made seven total starts, going 3–1 with a 3.66 ERA in those games, before returning to the bullpen on July 1. He earned his first major league save on July 2 against the

Toronto Blue Jays The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Since 1989, the team has p ...

. Back in the rotation on August 3, Hardy took a no-hitter against the

Oakland Athletics The Oakland Athletics (frequently referred to as the Oakland A's) were an American Major League Baseball (MLB) team based in Oakland, California from 1968 to 2024. The Athletics were a member club of the American League (AL) American League We ...

into the seventh inning, before an infield single by Jed Lowrie ruined the no-hit bid. He finished the game allowing one hit, with two walks and six strikeouts on a career-high 106 pitches. On August 17, Hardy was placed on the 10-day disabled list due to elbow tendinitis. For the 2018 season, Hardy appeared in 30 games (13 starts), compiling a 4–5 record, 3.56 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, and 66 strikeouts in 86 innings.

2019

On January 11, 2019, the Tigers avoided arbitration with Hardy, agreeing on a one-year, $1.3 million contract. Despite having pitched in 194 games for the Tigers over five seasons, 2019 marked the first time in his career that Hardy was with the team for an opening day. After putting up a 4.47 ERA in 44 1/3 innings in 2019, mostly with elbow pain, Hardy was optioned to the

on August 9. Hardy opted to receive PRP injections to treat his elbow on August 13 after seeking a second opinion during the 72-hour window to report to Toledo. Hardy was then placed on the 60-day injured list which ended his season. His option was rescinded since he had his elbow treated prior to reporting to his minor league assignment. Hardy was outrighted off the Tigers roster and elected free agency on October 24, 2019.

Minnesota Twins

On February 2, 2019, Hardy signed a minor league contract with the

Minnesota Twins The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis. The Twins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The team is named afte ...

. On March 27, 2020, it was announced that Hardy underwent

Tommy John surgery Ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, sometimes referred to as Tommy John surgery is a surgical graft procedure where the ulnar collateral ligament in the medial elbow is replaced with either a tendon from elsewhere in the patient's body, ...

, ending his 2020 season before it began. He became a free agent on November 2.

Milwaukee Brewers

On January 28, 2021, Hardy signed a minor league contract with the

organization and was invited to Spring Training. He was assigned to the Triple-A

Nashville Sounds The Nashville Sounds are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. They are located in Nashville, Tennessee, Nashville, Tennessee, and are named for the ci ...

to begin the season. On August 1, 2021, Hardy's contract was selected by the Brewers. Hardy was returned to Triple-A Nashville on August 9, after allowing 2 runs in his only inning of work. He elected free agency following the season on November 7.

Sioux City Explorers

On April 14, 2022, Hardy signed with the

Sioux City Explorers The Sioux City Explorers are a professional baseball team based in Sioux City, Iowa, in the United States. The Explorers are inaugural members of the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major League Baseba ...

of the

American Association of Professional Baseball The American Association of Professional Baseball is an independent professional baseball league founded in 2005. It operates in the central United States and Canada, mostly in cities not served by Major League Baseball teams or their minor ...

. Hardy made 23 appearances (3 starts) for Sioux City in 2022, recording a 3–2 record and 4.78 ERA with 51 strikeouts in innings pitched. He was released following the season on October 10.

Coaching career

On February 27, 2023, Hardy was announced as the head baseball coach at

Central Lakes College Central Lakes College is a public community college with campuses in Brainerd and Staples, Minnesota. It is part of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System. The college was formed from the merger of three different colleges: Braine ...

Brainerd, Minnesota Brainerd ( ) is a city and the county seat of Crow Wing County, Minnesota, United States. Its population was 14,395 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Brainerd straddles the Mississippi River several miles upstream from its confluen ...

Pitch selection

Hardy throws a

fastball The fastball is the most common type of pitch (baseball), pitch thrown by pitchers in baseball and softball. Its distinctive feature is its high speed. "Power pitchers," such as former major leaguers Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, relied on the ...

in the 87–91 mph range that he will occasionally

cut Cut or CUT may refer to: Common uses * The act of cutting, the separation of an object into two through acutely directed force ** A type of wound ** Cut (archaeology), a hole dug in the past ** Cut (clothing), the style or shape of a garment ** ...

for late movement. His most effective pitch is an upper-70s

curveball In baseball and softball, the curveball is a type of pitch thrown with a characteristic grip and hand movement that imparts forward spin to the ball, causing it to dive as it approaches the plate. Varieties of curveball include the 12–6 curve ...

, which has yielded most of his strikeouts to date. He mixes in a

changeup A changeup is a type of pitch in baseball and fastpitch softball. The changeup is a staple off-speed pitch often used in a pitcher's arsenal, usually thrown to look like a fastball, but arriving much more slowly to the plate. Its reduced spee ...

at 78–81 mph.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Hardy, Blaine 1987 births Living people Baseball players from Seattle Bravos de Margarita players 21st-century American sportsmen American expatriate baseball players in Venezuela Burlington Bees players Detroit Tigers players Erie SeaWolves players Idaho Falls Chukars players Lakeland Flying Tigers players Leones del Escogido players American expatriate baseball players in the Dominican Republic Lewis–Clark State Warriors baseball players Major League Baseball pitchers Mesa Solar Sox players Milwaukee Brewers players Nashville Sounds players Northwest Arkansas Naturals players Omaha Royals players Omaha Storm Chasers players Toledo Mud Hens players