Chris Archer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Chris Archer |
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Archer with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2018
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| Pitcher | ||||||||||||||
| Born: September 26, 1988 Raleigh, North Carolina, U.S. |
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| debut | ||||||||||||||
| June 20, 2012, for the Tampa Bay Rays | ||||||||||||||
| Last appearance | ||||||||||||||
| September 10, 2022, for the Minnesota Twins | ||||||||||||||
| MLB statistics | ||||||||||||||
| Win–loss record | 63–89 | |||||||||||||
| Earned run average | 3.93 | |||||||||||||
| Strikeouts | 1,454 | |||||||||||||
| Teams | ||||||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||
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Christopher Alan Archer (born September 26, 1988) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Tampa Bay Rays, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Minnesota Twins. Archer was known for his powerful pitches and many strikeouts. He was chosen for the MLB All-Star Game twice, in 2015 and 2017.
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Early Baseball Days
Chris Archer went to Clayton High School in Clayton, North Carolina. He was a great baseball player there. After high school, he decided to become a professional player instead of going to college. In his last year of high school, he had a great record of 8 wins and 3 losses. His earned run average (ERA), which measures how many runs a pitcher gives up, was very low at 1.75.
Professional Career
Starting with the Indians
The Cleveland Indians picked Chris Archer in the fifth round of the 2006 MLB draft. He started playing for their minor league teams, like the Gulf Coast Indians. In 2008, he played for the Lake County Captains.
Moving to the Cubs
In 2008, Archer was traded to the Chicago Cubs. He played for their minor league teams, including the Peoria Chiefs and the Daytona Cubs. In 2010, he had an amazing year, winning 15 games and losing only 3. His ERA was 2.34, and he had 149 strikeouts. He was named the Cubs' Minor League Pitcher of the Year. After this, he played for the United States national baseball team and helped them win against the Cuban team.
Time with the Tampa Bay Rays
In 2011, Archer was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays. He was considered one of the top young players in baseball. He played for the Rays' minor league teams, the Montgomery Biscuits and the Durham Bulls.
First MLB Games (2012)
Chris Archer made his first appearance in Major League Baseball on June 20, 2012, for the Tampa Bay Rays. He showed his skill by getting seven strikeouts in his first game. He earned his first MLB win on September 19, 2012, against the Boston Red Sox.
Becoming a Star (2013)
In 2013, Archer became a regular pitcher for the Rays. He had a strong season, winning 9 games and losing 7, with a good ERA of 3.22. He was one of the best rookie pitchers in the American League. He was even named the AL Pitcher of the Month and AL Rookie of the Month for July. He finished third in the voting for the AL Rookie of the Year award.
Contract and Consistency (2014)
In 2014, Archer signed a long-term contract with the Rays. He continued to pitch well, finishing the season with 10 wins and 9 losses, and an ERA of 3.33. He also had 173 strikeouts that year.
All-Star Seasons (2015-2017)
In 2015, Archer was the Rays' Opening Day starter. He had an incredible game on June 2, striking out 15 batters! He was chosen for his first MLB All-Star Game. He also threw a one-hit shutout game against the Houston Astros, meaning he almost didn't let the other team get any hits. He finished the season with 12 wins and 13 losses, and a great ERA of 3.23. He also set a new Rays record for strikeouts in a single season with 252. He was considered one of the best pitchers in the league.
In 2016, many people thought Archer would win the Cy Young Award, given to the best pitcher. While he had a tough start, he finished the season strong with 233 strikeouts.
In 2017, Archer was again the Rays' Opening Day starter. He set a new team record for strikeouts in a month with 58 in May. On July 6, he was named to his second All-Star Game. He also reached 1,000 career strikeouts, which is a big achievement for a pitcher. He ended the season with 249 strikeouts, ranking third in the American League.
Final Rays Season (2018)
Archer started the 2018 season as the Rays' Opening Day pitcher for the fourth year in a row. He reached another milestone, pitching his 1,000th career inning.
Time with the Pittsburgh Pirates
In July 2018, Chris Archer was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates. In 2019, he had a challenging season, finishing with 3 wins and 9 losses. In 2020, he had surgery for a medical condition called thoracic outlet syndrome, which kept him from playing that year. After the 2020 season, he became a free agent, meaning he could sign with any team.
Return to the Rays (2021)
In 2021, Archer signed a one-year contract and returned to the Tampa Bay Rays. He was placed on the injured list for a while due to forearm tightness but returned to play later in the season.
Playing for the Minnesota Twins (2022)
In 2022, Archer signed a one-year contract with the Minnesota Twins. He played for them for one season before becoming a free agent again in November 2022.
After Playing Baseball
In December 2023, Chris Archer took a job with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He now works as an assistant in their baseball operations department, helping with how the team is run.
International Games
Chris Archer played for Team USA in the 2017 World Baseball Classic. This is a big international baseball tournament. In his only game in the tournament, he pitched four perfect innings against Colombia, meaning no one from the other team reached base. Team USA went on to win that game.
How He Pitched
Chris Archer is 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighs 200 pounds. He threw a very fast pitch called a four-seam fastball, which could reach speeds of 99 miles per hour. He also had a great slider pitch and a circle change pitch. These different pitches made it hard for batters to hit the ball.
Personal Life
Chris Archer's biological mother is Sonya Clark, and his biological father is Darryl Magnum. He was raised by his maternal grandparents, Donna and Ron Archer, who adopted him when he was two years old.
