José Manuel Espada (born February 22, 1997) is a Puerto Rican 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 ...

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in the

Baltimore Orioles The Baltimore Orioles (also known as the O's) are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East Division. As one of the America ...

organization. He has previously played in

Nippon Professional Baseball is a professional baseball league and the highest level of baseball in Japan. Locally, it is often called , meaning simply ''Professional Baseball''; outside of Japan, NPB is often referred to as "Japanese baseball". The roots of the league ...

(NPB) for the

Tokyo Yakult Swallows The Tokyo Yakult Swallows () are a Japanese professional baseball team competing in Nippon Professional Baseball's Central League. Based in Shinjuku, Tokyo, they are one of two professional baseball teams in Tokyo, the other being the Yomiuri G ...

Career

Toronto Blue Jays

Espada was drafted by 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 ...

in the fifth round, with the 152nd overall selection, of the

2015 Major League Baseball draft The 2015 Major League Baseball draft was held from June 8 through June 10, 2015, to assign amateur baseball players to MLB teams. The draft order is the reverse order of the 2014 MLB season standings. As the Diamondbacks finished the 2014 season ...

. He made his professional debut with the rookie–level

Gulf Coast League Blue Jays The Florida Complex League Blue Jays are a Rookie-level affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays, competing in the Florida Complex League of Minor League Baseball. Prior to 2021, the team was known as the Gulf Coast League Blue Jays. The team plays its ...

, posting a 3.41 ERA in 10 games (7 starts). In 2016, Espada made 12 appearances (10 starts) for the rookie–level

Bluefield Blue Jays The Bluefield Blue Jays were a minor league baseball team of the Rookie Appalachian League representing the twin cities of Bluefield, West Virginia, and Bluefield, Virginia. The team played their home games at Bowen Field at Peters Park, a histori ...

, recording a 4.92 ERA with 32 strikeouts across 53.0 innings of work. Espada spent the 2017 and 2018 seasons with the Low–A

Vancouver Canadians The Vancouver Canadians are a Minor League Baseball (MiLB) team located in Vancouver, British Columbia. They are members of the Northwest League and the High-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. The Canadians play their home games at Nat Bail ...

, posting a 5.14 ERA and 4.88 ERA in 13 games each season. He split the 2019 season between the GCL Blue Jays and Single–A

Lansing Lugnuts The Lansing Lugnuts are a Minor League Baseball team of the Midwest League and the High-A affiliate of the Athletics (baseball), Athletics. They are located in Lansing, Michigan, and play their home games at Jackson Field (Lansing), Jackson Fie ...

. In 10 total appearances, Espada logged a 3.09 ERA with 13 strikeouts in innings pitched.

Boston Red Sox

On December 12, 2019, the

Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Founded in as one of the Ameri ...

selected Espada in the minor league phase of the

Rule 5 draft The Rule 5 draft is a Major League Baseball (MLB) player draft that occurs each year in December, at the annual Winter Meeting of general managers. The Rule 5 draft aims to prevent teams from stockpiling too many young players on their minor lea ...

. He did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...

. Espada returned to action in 2021, spending the year with the High–A

Greenville Drive The Greenville Drive are a Minor League Baseball team based in Greenville, South Carolina. They are the High-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox and are a member of the South Atlantic League. They play their home games at Fluor Field at the West E ...

. On September 2, Espada, Jeremy Wu-Yelland, Oddanier Mosqueda, and Jake Wallace pitched a combined

no-hitter In baseball, a no-hitter or no-hit game is a game in which a team does not record a hit (baseball), hit through conventional methods. Major League Baseball (MLB) officially defines a no-hitter as a completed game in which a team that batted in ...

against the

Asheville Tourists The Asheville Tourists are a Minor League Baseball team of the South Atlantic League and the High-A affiliate of the Houston Astros. It is located in Asheville, North Carolina. Asheville teams have played under the Tourists moniker in different ...

. In 28 appearances for the Drive, Espada registered a 3.09 ERA with 53 strikeouts across innings pitched. Espada elected free agency following the season on November 7, 2021.

Milwaukee Milkmen

On February 1, 2022, Espada signed with the Milwaukee Milkmen 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 ...

. In 8 starts for the club, Espada posted a 2–1 record and 3.61 ERA with 55 strikeouts across innings pitched.

San Diego Padres

On July 1, 2022, Espada had his contract purchased by the

San Diego Padres The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Division. ...

organization. In 11 games (7 starts) for the High–A

Fort Wayne TinCaps The Fort Wayne TinCaps are a Minor League Baseball team based in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The TinCaps compete in the Midwest League as the High-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres. The team plays its home games at Parkview Field. The TinCaps won the ...

, he pitched to a 1–3 record and 4.05 ERA with 58 strikeouts across 40.0 innings of work. In 2023, Espada appeared in 38 games for the Double–A

San Antonio Missions The San Antonio Missions are a Minor League Baseball team based in San Antonio, Texas. The Missions compete in the Texas League as the Double-A (baseball), Double-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres. The team plays its home games at Nelson W. W ...

and Triple–A

El Paso Chihuahuas The El Paso Chihuahuas are a Minor League Baseball team based in El Paso, Texas. The Chihuahuas compete in the Pacific Coast League (PCL) as the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres. The team plays its home games at Sou ...

, accumulating a 2.81 ERA and 110 strikeouts in innings pitched. On September 22, 2023, Espada was selected to the

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and promoted to the major leagues for the first time. He made his MLB debut on September 24, tossing a scoreless inning of relief against the

St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Centra ...

and striking out two. On November 17, Espada was non-tendered and became a free agent. On December 1, he re–signed with the Padres organization on a minor league contract.

Tokyo Yakult Swallows

On December 17, 2023, Espada signed with the

. He made 24 appearances for the Swallows in 2024, compiling an 0–2 record and 5.00 ERA with 16 strikeouts across 27 innings pitched. On November 8, 2024, the Swallows announced they would not extend a contract to Espada for the 2025 season, making him a free agent.

San Diego Padres (second stint)

On December 16, 2024, Espada signed a minor league contract with the

. In 29 appearances split between the Double-A

and Triple-A

, he accumulated a 3-1 record and 3.38 ERA with 58 strikeouts and three saves across innings pitched. Espada was released by the Padres organization on July 22, 2025.

Baltimore Orioles

On July 26, 2025, Espada signed a minor league contract with the

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Espada, Jose 1997 births Living people Baseball players from Ponce, Puerto Rico Major League Baseball players from Puerto Rico 21st-century Puerto Rican sportsmen San Diego Padres players Major League Baseball pitchers Gulf Coast Blue Jays players Gigantes de Carolina (baseball) players Bluefield Blue Jays players Vancouver Canadians players Lansing Lugnuts players Greenville Drive players Fort Wayne TinCaps players Milwaukee Milkmen players San Antonio Missions players El Paso Chihuahuas players