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 included the Minnesota Twins, Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, Milwaukee Brewers, and Texas Rangers.
Kyle Lohse was one of the few Native American players in MLB. He was known for his steady pitching throughout his career. On June 26, 2015, he achieved a special record. He became the 14th pitcher to defeat all 30 MLB teams. This means he earned a win against every team in the league. In 2014, he pitched a complete game shutout for the Brewers. This is when a pitcher plays the whole game without the other team scoring.
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Early Life and High School
Kyle grew up in a place called Ord Bend, California. He went to Hamilton Union High School in Hamilton City. His parents, Larry and Leslie, were also great athletes at the same high school. Kyle played basketball, baseball, and football.
In baseball, he was chosen as an All-Conference player every year. He also did well in school, making the Honor Roll. Kyle took many advanced classes and graduated in 1996. His mother has Native American and Filipino family roots. His father has German family roots. After high school, Kyle went to Butte College.
Kyle Lohse's Baseball Career
Starting with the Minnesota Twins
The Chicago Cubs picked Kyle Lohse in the 1996 MLB draft. Later, in 1999, the Cubs traded him to the Minnesota Twins. Kyle made his first MLB appearance with the Twins on June 22, 2001.
In 2002, which was his first full year as a starting pitcher, he had a good record of 13 wins and 8 losses. He continued to play well in 2003. He started 33 games and won 14 of them. In 2002, he also played in the American League Championship Series with the Twins.
Moving to the Cincinnati Reds
On July 31, 2006, the Twins traded Kyle Lohse to the Cincinnati Reds. He made his first start for the Reds in August 2006.
Time with the Philadelphia Phillies
On July 30, 2007, Lohse was traded again, this time to the Philadelphia Phillies. He played in 11 games for the Phillies. He won 3 games and had no losses.
Success with the St. Louis Cardinals
On March 14, 2008, Kyle Lohse signed a one-year deal with the St. Louis Cardinals. He had a great start with the Cardinals in 2008. He won 11 games and lost only 2. He was later suspended for a few games during the season.
Lohse and the Cardinals agreed to a new four-year contract in September 2008. On August 28, 2011, Kyle Lohse won his 100th game as a pitcher. This happened when the Cardinals beat the Pittsburgh Pirates. That year, the Cardinals won the World Series. Kyle led the team with 14 wins and a good ERA.
In Game Six of the 2011 World Series, Kyle Lohse even helped as a pinch-hitter. He made a key sacrifice bunt. This helped the Cardinals score the tying run. The Cardinals won that game and then won Game Seven to become champions!
In 2012, Kyle Lohse was the Opening Day starting pitcher for the Cardinals. He pitched very well in that game. He didn't give up a hit until the seventh inning. He also became the first pitcher to win a game at the new Marlins Park. He finished the 2012 season with 16 wins and only 3 losses. This was the best winning percentage in the National League. After this season, he became a free agent.
Playing for the Milwaukee Brewers
On March 25, 2013, Kyle Lohse signed a three-year contract with the Milwaukee Brewers. Even though the Brewers' home park, Miller Park, is known for being easy for hitters, Lohse continued to pitch well. In his first year with the Brewers, he won 11 games and had a good ERA.
In 2014, Lohse pitched well again for the Brewers. He had a 3.54 ERA in 31 starts. He also struck out 141 batters. He became a free agent after the 2015 season.
Final Stop with the Texas Rangers
On May 13, 2016, Lohse signed a deal with the Texas Rangers. After a couple of tough starts, he was released by the team. He became a free agent on July 31.
Retirement
After not playing in 2017, Lohse signed a minor league contract with the Kansas City Royals in March 2018. However, on May 10, 2018, Kyle Lohse announced that he was retiring from baseball.
How Kyle Lohse Pitched
Kyle Lohse had several different pitches he used. His main pitch was a two-seam fastball, which went around 90-91 miles per hour. He also threw a sharp slider and a changeup that dropped downwards. He also had a curveball that looked like it fell straight down.
Early in his career, he used a four-seam fastball. But later, he started using the two-seam fastball more. This helped him become a better pitcher. Kyle was known as a "command pitcher." This means he was very good at putting the ball exactly where he wanted it. He often made batters hit ground balls and did not walk many batters. He wasn't a pitcher who got a lot of Strikeouts, but he was very effective.
During his time with the Minnesota Twins, Kyle worked with an organization called Cars for Courage. This group helps disabled children through sports programs.
Off the Field
Kyle Lohse has a son and a daughter with his ex-wife, Gabrielle.
