Kyle Lohse facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kyle Lohse |
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Lohse with the Milwaukee Brewers
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| Pitcher | |||
| Born: October 4, 1978 Chico, California, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| June 22, 2001, for the Minnesota Twins | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| July 19, 2016, for the Texas Rangers | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 147–143 | ||
| Earned run average | 4.40 | ||
| Strikeouts | 1,615 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Kyle Matthew Lohse (born October 4, 1978) is a former professional baseball pitcher from America. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for several teams. These teams included the Minnesota Twins, Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, Milwaukee Brewers, and Texas Rangers.
In 2014, Kyle was one of only three active Native American players in MLB. The other two were Joba Chamberlain and Jacoby Ellsbury.
On June 26, 2015, Lohse achieved a special milestone. He became the 14th pitcher to defeat all 30 MLB teams. In 2014, he pitched a complete 9-inning shutout for the Brewers. This was a rare feat for a Brewers pitcher.
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Growing Up: Kyle Lohse's Early Life
Kyle Lohse grew up in Ord Bend, California. He went to Hamilton Union High School in Hamilton City. Kyle followed his parents, Larry and Leslie, who were also great athletes in high school.
He played basketball, baseball, and football. In baseball, he was chosen as an All-Conference player every year. Kyle also did well in school, making the Honor Roll and taking advanced classes. He graduated in 1996.
Kyle's mother has Native American and Filipino family roots. His father has German ancestry. When he was young, Kyle thought of himself as "American". This was because the Nomlaki tribe, which his mother's family belonged to, was not officially recognized again until 1996. After high school, Kyle attended Butte College.
Kyle Lohse's Major League Baseball Career
Starting with the Minnesota Twins
The Chicago Cubs picked Kyle Lohse in the 29th round of the 1996 Major League Baseball draft. In 1999, the Cubs traded Lohse and Jason Ryan to the Minnesota Twins. They received Rick Aguilera and Scott Downs in return. Kyle Lohse made his MLB debut with the Twins on June 22, 2001.
In 2002, Lohse had his first full year as a starting pitcher. He finished with 13 wins and 8 losses. His ERA was 4.23. He continued to play well in 2003, starting 33 games. He had 14 wins and 11 losses with a 4.61 ERA. In 2004, he did not perform as strongly, with 9 wins and 13 losses and a 5.34 ERA. Lohse played in one ALCS with the Twins in 2002.
On May 17, 2006, the Twins sent him to their AAA team, the Rochester Red Wings. They called up pitcher Boof Bonser to replace him. However, on June 9, Matt Guerrier broke his thumb, and Lohse was called back to the Twins.
Moving to the Cincinnati Reds
On July 31, 2006, Lohse was traded to the Cincinnati Reds. The Reds sent minor-league pitcher Zach Ward to the Twins. Lohse made his first start for the Reds on August 17, 2006.
Playing for the Philadelphia Phillies
On July 30, 2007, Lohse was traded again. This time, he went to the Philadelphia Phillies for minor-league pitcher Matt Maloney. After leaving the Reds, Lohse's performance changed a bit. In 11 starts with the Phillies, Lohse had 3 wins and 0 losses. He often received "no-decisions" because the Phillies' offense would score runs late in games. His ERA with the Phillies was 4.72. He also averaged less than six innings pitched per start.
Success with the St. Louis Cardinals
On March 14, 2008, Lohse signed a one-year contract with the St. Louis Cardinals. The deal was worth $4.25 million.
Lohse was a big surprise for the Cardinals in the first half of the 2008 season. He had 11 wins and 2 losses with a 3.39 ERA. Later, he was suspended for five games for throwing a pitch too close to Reds' pitcher Edinson Vólquez. Lohse appealed the decision and continued to pitch while waiting. However, he eventually dropped his appeal and served the suspension.
Lohse and the Cardinals agreed to a new contract on September 29, 2008. It was a four-year deal worth $41 million.
On April 17, 2010, the Cardinals played a very long 20-inning game against the New York Mets. Lohse entered the game in the 18th inning. He played left field while shortstop Felipe López pitched.
On August 28, 2011, Lohse won his 100th game as a pitcher. The Cardinals defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates 7–4 that day. In 2011, the Cardinals won the World Series. Lohse led the team with 14 wins and a 3.39 ERA. In Game Six of the 2011 World Series, Lohse pinch-hit in the 10th inning. He made a key sacrifice bunt, which helped move a runner into scoring position. The Cardinals won that game in the 11th inning. This forced a Game Seven, which they also won.
Lohse was chosen as the Cardinals' Opening Day starting pitcher in 2012. In that game, Lohse did not allow a hit until the seventh inning. José Reyes hit a single to right field. Lohse pitched for 7 and 1/3 innings, giving up only two hits and one run. He also struck out three batters. Lohse became the first pitcher to earn a win at the new Marlins Park.
In 2012, his record was 16 wins and 3 losses. This gave him the best winning percentage in the National League at .842 among eligible pitchers. He became a free agent after the 2012 season.
Time with the Milwaukee Brewers
On March 25, 2013, it was confirmed that Kyle Lohse signed a three-year contract with the Milwaukee Brewers. The deal was worth $33 million.
Even though he moved to Miller Park, which is known for being a good park for hitters, Lohse continued to pitch well. In his first season with the Brewers, Lohse had 11 wins and 10 losses. His ERA was 3.35 over 198 innings pitched.
In 2014, Lohse had a 3.54 ERA over 31 starts. He pitched 198 and a third innings for the Milwaukee Brewers. He also struck out 141 batters, which was close to his career high. He became a free agent after the 2015 season.
Final Season with the Texas Rangers
On May 13, 2016, Lohse signed a minor league deal with the Texas Rangers. The contract was worth $2 million, with extra money for good performance. After two difficult starts where he allowed many runs, he was removed from the team's active roster. Lohse chose not to accept a minor league assignment and became a free agent on July 31.
Retirement from Baseball
After not playing in the 2017 season, Lohse signed a minor league contract with the Kansas City Royals on March 31, 2018. On May 10, 2018, Kyle Lohse announced his retirement from baseball on his Instagram page.
Kyle Lohse's Pitching Style
Kyle Lohse used several different pitches. His main fastball was a two-seam fastball that went about 90-91 miles per hour. He also threw a sharp slider in the mid-80s. His changeup would drop downwards in the low 80s. He also had a curveball that dropped sharply, called a 12-6 curveball, in the low to mid-70s.
His slider was thrown harder than most pitchers with his speed. It had a very tight break, making it a mix between a cutter and a slider. Early in his career, he mostly used a four-seam fastball. After joining the Cardinals and working with coach Dave Duncan, Lohse started using a two-seamer. This helped him improve a lot.
By developing his two-seamer and improving his other pitches, Lohse became known as a pitcher with great control. He could make batters hit ground balls often and did not walk many batters. He was not a pitcher who got a lot of strikeouts. However, in 2012, he set a new career high with 143 strikeouts in 211 innings. This meant he had 6.1 strikeouts per nine innings, with only 1.6 walks.
During his time with the Minnesota Twins, Lohse also worked with "Cars for Courage." This organization helps children with disabilities through sports programs and activities.
Personal Life
Kyle Lohse and his ex-wife, Gabrielle, have a son and a daughter together.
