Tomaso Anthony Milone ( ; born February 16, 1987) is an American 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, ...

who is a free agent. He has previously 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

Washington Nationals The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East Division. They play their home games at Na ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

New York Mets The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National ...

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 ...

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 ...

Atlanta Braves The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Eas ...

, and

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 ...

Amateur career

Born and raised in the neighborhood of Saugus in

Santa Clarita, California Santa Clarita (; Spanish for "Little St. Clare") is a city in northwestern Los Angeles County, California, United States. With a 2020 census population of 228,673, it is the third-most populous city in Los Angeles County, the 17th-most popul ...

, Milone attended Saugus High School, where he was a standout as both a pitcher and hitter. Milone won All-State honors twice, and was the Foothill Player of the Year his senior season, in which he hit .474 and threw a perfect game, finishing the year with a 9–2 record and a 1.04 ERA. Milone then attended the

University of Southern California The University of Southern California (USC, SC, or Southern Cal) is a Private university, private research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Founded in 1880 by Robert M. Widney, it is the oldest private research university in ...

, playing for the

USC Trojans baseball The USC Trojans baseball program represents the University of Southern California in college baseball. Established in 1888 in baseball, 1888, the team is a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association and the Pac-12 Conference, Big Ten ...

team and pursued a degree in public policy and development. As a freshman, Milone was named the number two starter in the rotation and went 7–4 with a 4.94 ERA in 16 starts. In his sophomore season, Milone struggled, going 3–7 with a 6.17 ERA. His junior season would prove to be his best, Milone went 6–6 with a 3.51 ERA and was the number one starter in the rotation. In 2007, Milone played

collegiate summer baseball Collegiate summer baseball leagues are amateur baseball leagues in the United States and Canada featuring players who have attended at least one year of college and have at least one year of athletic eligibility remaining. Generally, they operat ...

in the

Cape Cod Baseball League The Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL or Cape League) is a collegiate summer baseball wooden bat league located on Cape Cod in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. One of the nation's premier collegiate summer leagues, the league boasts over 1,000 forme ...

with the

Chatham A's The Chatham Anglers, more commonly referred to as the Chatham A's and formerly the Chatham Athletics, are a collegiate summer baseball team based in Chatham, Massachusetts. The team is a member of the Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL) and plays in ...

, winning the B.F.C. Whitehouse Award, given to the best pitcher in the league, after finishing the summer 6–1 with a 2.92 ERA.

Professional career

Washington Nationals

Milone was drafted by the

in the 10th round of the 2008 Major League Baseball Draft. Milone made his major league debut on September 3, 2011, against the

. Milone struck out Angel Pagan of the New York Mets for his first career strikeout. Later in the same game, he hit a three-run home run on the first pitch of his first Major League at bat, becoming the 27th player, and only the eighth

, in major league history to do so. He left the game after pitching four and one-third innings.

Oakland Athletics

On December 23, 2011, Milone was traded with A. J. Cole, Derek Norris and Brad Peacock to the

for

Gio González Giovany Aramis González (born September 19, 1985) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Oakland Athletics, Washington Nationals, Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago White Sox. A two-time ...

and Robert Gilliam. Tommy milone2012

Milone started the regular season in the third starting rotation spot behind Brandon McCarthy and

Bartolo Colón Bartolo Colón (born May 24, 1973), nicknamed "Big Sexy", is a Dominican American professional baseball pitcher for the Karachi Monarchs of Baseball United. He previously played for 11 different Major League Baseball (MLB) teams: the Cleveland ...

. Milone was the only starting pitcher in the A's rotation to last all season without getting injured and had started the most games for the A's during the 2012 season. He pitched his first complete game of his career on June 20 defeating the

Los Angeles Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Div ...

. Milone had started game 2 of the ALDS, but the A's had lost to a no decision in the bottom of the 9th inning. Milone finished the season with a 13–10 record and with 137 strikeouts and an ERA of 3.74. Milone was optioned to the Triple-A

Sacramento River Cats The Sacramento River Cats are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and are the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. Prior to 2015, the River Cats were the Triple-A affiliate of the Oakland ...

on August 3, 2013. Milone finished the season with 12 wins in 28 games, 26 of them starts. Milone started the 2014 season in the A's rotation as the fifth starter. Despite owning a record of 6–3 and a 3.55 ERA in 16 starts, Milone was sent down to AAA. After his demotion he demanded a trade.

Minnesota Twins

On July 31, 2014, the Athletics traded Milone to the

in exchange for outfielder

Sam Fuld Samuel Babson Fuld (born November 20, 1981) is an American former professional baseball outfielder and current executive for the Philadelphia Phillies organization of Major League Baseball (MLB), where he most recently served as the team's gener ...

. Milone started in five games for the Twins before being shut down with a neck injury. Milone had a bounce back season in 2015 going 9–5 with a 3.92 ERA in 128.2 innings. Milone struggled in 2016 going 3–5 with a 5.12 ERA and after the season he declined being outrighted to Triple-A Rochester by electing free agency.

Milwaukee Brewers

On December 14, 2016, Milone signed a one-year, $1.25 million contract with the

. He was designated for assignment on May 1, 2017, when the team purchased the contract of Rob Scahill. With the Brewers he was 1–0 with a 6.43 ERA.

New York Mets

On May 7, 2017, the

claimed Milone off waivers. With the Mets, he was 0–3 with a 8.56 ERA. In 2017 between the two teams, right-handed batters had a higher batting average against him, .348, than against all other MLB pitchers in 30 or more innings.

Washington Nationals (second stint)

On December 20, 2017, the

signed Milone to a minor league contract, with an invite to spring training. On July 26, 2018, he was called up in place of

Stephen Strasburg Stephen James Strasburg (; born July 20, 1988) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who spent his entire 13-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the Washington Nationals. He is a three-time Major League Baseball All-Star G ...

in the rotation. Milone was reassigned to the bullpen on August 18. On September 4, Milone was outrighted off the roster. For the season he was 1–1 with a 5.81 ERA. He declared free agency on October 2, 2018.

Seattle Mariners

On December 6, 2018, Milone signed a minor league deal with the

. He opened the 2019 season with the

Tacoma Rainiers The Tacoma Rainiers are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. They are located in Tacoma, Washington, and play their home games at Cheney Stadium, ...

. On May 21, his contract was selected by the Mariners.

Baltimore Orioles

Milone signed a minor league deal with the

on February 13, 2020. On July 15, 2020, the Orioles purchased his contract, putting him on the 40-man roster for the shortened season. On July 21, 2020, Milone was named starter for opening day vs the Red Sox as John Means had arm fatigue. On July 24, 2020, he made his Orioles debut as an Opening Day starting pitcher allowing 4 runs on 4 hits and 3 walks in 3 innings pitched against 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 ...

Atlanta Braves

On August 30, 2020, Milone was traded to the

in exchange for AJ Graffanino and Greg Cullen. The Braves released Milone on September 30, 2020, right before their Wild Card Series game against the

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

. In three starts with the Braves, he went 0–0 with a 14.90 ERA.

Toronto Blue Jays

On February 25, 2021, the

signed Milone to a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training. On April 4, the Blue Jays selected his contract and placed him on the active roster. On May 27, Milone was placed on the 60-day injured list with left shoulder inflammation. On August 11, Milone was released by the Blue Jays.

Cincinnati Reds

On August 24, 2021, Milone signed a minor league deal with the

. He was assigned to the Triple-A

Louisville Bats The Louisville Bats are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. They are located in Louisville, Kentucky, and are named in dual reference to the bat, wi ...

. Milone made 3 starts for Louisville, going 0–2 with a 14.40 ERA and 10 strikeouts. On October 11, Milone elected free agency.

Seattle Mariners (second stint)

On April 1, 2022, Milone signed a minor league deal with the

. He was assigned to the Triple-A

to start the 2022 season. On June 18, he was selected to the major league roster. He was released on August 2. Milone re-signed with the team on a minor league deal on August 19. He elected free agency following the season on November 10. On December 15, 2022, Milone re-signed with the Mariners on a minor league deal. He began the 2023 season with Triple-A Tacoma. On April 14, 2023, Milone was selected to the active roster to make a spot start against the

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

. He tossed innings, allowing one run with 3 strikeouts and 2 walks in a

no decision A no decision (sometimes written no-decision) is one of either of two sports statistics scenarios; one in baseball and softball, and the other in boxing and related combat sports. Baseball and softball A starting pitcher who leaves a game withou ...

. He was designated for assignment the following day. He cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple-A Tacoma on April 19. On July 5, Milone was selected back to the major league roster to make a start against the

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

. He took the loss after pitching innings and allowing 2 runs (1 earned) on 4 hits and 4 walks. Milone was again designated for assignment the next day following the promotion of Isaiah Campbell. He cleared waivers and was again outrighted to Tacoma on July 13. On October 2, Milone elected free agency.

Saraperos de Saltillo

On April 26, 2024, Milone signed with the Saraperos de Saltillo of the

Mexican League The Mexican Baseball League (, or LMB, ) is a professional baseball league in Mexico. It is the oldest running professional sports league in the country. The league has 20 teams organized in two divisions, North and South. Teams play 114 games ...

. In 14 games (13 starts) for Saltillo, he compiled a 3–5 record and 5.86 ERA with 40 strikeouts across 63 innings pitched. Milone was released by the Saraperos on July 26.

Pitching repertoire

Milone's

four-seam fastball A four-seam fastball, also called a rising fastball, a four-seamer, or a cross-seam fastball, is a pitch (baseball), pitch in baseball. It is a member of the fastball family of pitches and is usually the fastest ball thrown by a pitcher. It is s ...

ranges from 85 to 87 mph, and he complements it with a cutter at the same speed, a

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 ...

(75–79), and

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 ...

(79–81), as well as a rare

two-seam fastball A two-seam fastball is a pitch in baseball and softball. It is a variant of the straight fastball. The pitch has the speed of a fastball and can also include late-breaking action caused by varying the pressure of the index and middle fingers on t ...

. Milone's repertoire against left-handed hitters tends to be fastball-cutter-curveball, while against right-handers it is fastball-changeup-cutter. He uses his changeup heavily in 2-strike counts against righties. His curve is his best swing-and-miss pitch with a whiff rate of about 33%. Milone has shown good control early in his career, with a

walk Walking (also known as ambulation) is one of the main gaits of terrestrial locomotion among legged animals. Walking is typically slower than running and other gaits. Walking is defined as an "inverted pendulum" gait in which the body vaults over ...

rate under 2 per 9 innings.

Personal life

Milone married Tina Sarnecki. They welcomed their first child, daughter Mia, in July 2016.

References

External links

USC Trojans bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Milone, Tommy 1987 births Living people American people of Italian descent Atlanta Braves players Baltimore Orioles players Baseball players from Santa Clarita, California Binghamton Rumble Ponies players Buffalo Bisons (minor league) players Chatham Anglers players Gulf Coast Mets players Hagerstown Suns players Harrisburg Senators players Louisville Bats players Major League Baseball pitchers Milwaukee Brewers players Minnesota Twins players New York Mets players Oakland Athletics players People from Saugus, Santa Clarita, California Potomac Nationals players Rochester Red Wings players Sacramento River Cats players Saraperos de Saltillo players Seattle Mariners players Syracuse Chiefs players Tacoma Rainiers players Tigres del Licey players Toronto Blue Jays players USC Trojans baseball players Vermont Lake Monsters players Washington Nationals players 21st-century American sportsmen