Zack Greinke is an American professional baseballer who is playing for the Houston Astros of Major League Baseball (MLB). His playing position is a pitcher. Previously, he played for Kansas City Royals, Milwaukee Brewers, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Arizona Diamondbacks. Initially, he was selected in the first round with the 6th pick of the 2002 MLB draft, after he won the Gatorade National Player of the Year Award as a high school senior. He made his MLB debut in 2004 after playing in the minor leagues. His career was nearly crashed by his battles with depression and anxiety in 2005 and 2006, and he missed most of the 2006 season. He came back in the 2007 season as a relief pitcher, before rejoining the starting rotation in 2008. He has also won the American League Cy Young Award and also he is a six-time All-Star and six-time Gold Glove Award winner. His jersey number is 21 for Houston Astros.
Astros’ Zack Greinke records historic pinch-hit single in Game 5
Houston Astros, Zack Greinke became the first pitcher to record a pinch-hit in the World Series since 1923 as part of the Astros’ Game 5 win on Sunday night at Truist Park in Atlanta. Greinke was asked by manager Dusty Baker to pinch-hit for Yimi Garcia during the fourth inning of the must-win game for the Astros. The Astros right-hander, who started Game 4 of the Fall Classic and also delivered a single while tossing four shutout innings in that outing, joins Jack Bentley, who had pinch-hits in Games 1 and 4 of the 1923 World Series for the New York Giants. Greinke’s hit was one of 12 tallied by the Astros, who rallied for a 9-5 victory to send the World Series back to Houston for Tuesday’s Game 6, with Atlanta holding a 3-2 Series lead.
What is Zack Greinke Famous For?
- Being a professional baseball pitcher for the Houston Astros of Major League Baseball (MLB).
- Being described as a “scientist as a pitcher” and is known for preparing for each start more extensively than most.
Source: @instagram.com/zackgreinke21_
Where is Zack Greinke from? Know About His Parents, Nationality, and Education
Zack Greinke was born on 21st October 1983 with the birth name of Donald Zackary Greinke given by his parents. He is from Orlando, Florida, the USA. His present age is 38 as of 2021. By nationality, he is American and he came from American-German ethnicity as he is of German descent. As per his birthdate, Greinke’s Zodiac sign is Libra and he follows Christianity religion. About his parents, he was born to his father, Donald Greinke, and his mother, Marsha Greinke. His parents worked as a teacher in high school. He also has a sibling, a younger brother, namely Luke who was also a pitcher and played college baseball at Auburn University. Luke was drafted by the New York Yankees in the 12th round of the 2008 MLB draft but was out of baseball a year later because of injuries.
As a youth, Zack Greinke excelled in tennis and golf as well. In 1999, he helped lead his team to the Senior League World Series title in 1999. He also played shortstop for his team. He then played baseball at Apopka High School where he hit over.400 with 31 home runs in his high school career. He worked as a relief pitcher as a sophomore and junior, before becoming a starting pitcher as a senior.
Zack Greinke Baseball Career Timeline
- Zack Greinke worked as a relief pitcher as a sophomore and junior, before becoming a starting pitcher as a senior.
- In his senior season, he compiled a 9-2 win-loss record, a 0.55 earned run average (ERA), and 118 strikeouts in 63 innings.
- After the high school season ended, he played in the Florida Athletic Coaches Association All-Star Classic and impressed pro scouts with his performance against some of the best hitters in the country.
- Then, he was selected in the first round with the 6th pick of the 2002 Major League Baseball draft by the Kansas City Royals.
- He turned down a scholarship offer from Clemson University to sign with the Royals for a $2.5 million signing bonus.
- In 2002, he pitched in six minor league games for the Royals farm teams: three games for the Gulf Coast Royals, two for the Low-A Spokane Indians, and two innings for the High-A Wilmington Blue Rocks of the Carolina League.
- He started his 2003 season with Wilmington where he was 11-1 with a 1.14 ERA in 14 starts. In total, he had a 3.97 ERA in 11+1⁄3 innings.
- He was promoted in July of the same year to the AA Wichita Wranglers of the Texas League where in nine starts he was 4-3 with a 3.23 ERA.
- He was promoted by the Royals in 2004 to the Omaha Royals of the Pacific Coast League, where he was 1-1 with a 2.51 ERA in six starts.
- On 22nd May 2004, he was called up to the major leagues by the Royals and made his major league debut against the Oakland Athletics.
- He recorded his first career win on 8th June when he pitched seven scoreless innings against the Montreal Expos.
- He finished the 2004 year with an 8-11 record and a 3.97 ERA in his 24 starts.
- In 2005, he led the American League in losses, finishing with a 5-17 record and a 5.80 ERA in 33 starts.
- On 17th April 2006, he reported back to the Royals’ spring training facility in Surprise, Arizona where he underwent ongoing pitching sessions. Then, he was placed on the 60-day disabled list due to psychological issues and took time away from baseball entirely. After that, he began seeing a sports psychologist and taking anti-depressant medication.
- During his 2006 season, he only made three appearances out of the bullpen and finished the year 1-0 with a 4.26 ERA.
- With 52 appearances (14 starts), he finished 2007 with a 7-7 record and a 3.69 ERA.
- He made 32 starts in 2008 and finished with a 13-10 record along with 183 strikeouts.
- On 26th January 2009, he agreed to a four-year contract with the Royals worth $38 million.
- His record for the 2009 season was 16-8, and he posted an ERA of 2.16, the lowest in MLB.
- Despite a stellar 2009 season, his performance in 2010 began to regress as he finished the year 10-14 with a 4.17 ERA and 181 strikeouts.
- On 19th December 2010, he was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers and was given the jersey number 13.
- In February 2011, he suffered a fractured rib while playing basketball. due to this, he started the 2011 season on the disabled list.
- On 4th May 2011, he made his Brewers debut in the second game of a doubleheader.
- He finished the 2011 year with a 16-6 record, a 3.83 ERA, and 201 strikeouts in 28 starts.
- To begin 2012, he made 21 starts with the Brewers and had a 9-3 record, 120 strikeouts, and a 3.44 ERA.
- The team then traded him to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on July 27.
- On 29th July 2012, he made his first start for the Angels.
- He starts from August 3-19 (1-1, 7.20 ERA in 25 innings), which followed up with four consecutive starts of at least seven innings and two or fewer runs – all of them wins. In those starts, he produced a 1.88 ERA in 28+1⁄3 innings.
- Overall in 2012, he made 34 starts with a 15-5 record, 200 strikeouts, and a 3.48 ERA combined with both teams.
- On 8th December 2012, he agreed to a six-year free-agent contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers worth $147 million which was finalized on 10th December.
Source: @dodgerblue
- On 11th April 2013, he fractured his left collarbone in a brawl with Carlos Quentin of the San Diego Padres.
- He was placed on the disabled list and it was revealed that he would require surgery, which was performed on April 13.
- He returned to action on 10th May when he pitched in a rehab game for the Class-A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. He returned to the Dodgers on May 15.
- He was hit in the head and neck area by Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Ian Kennedy on 11th June 2013.
- On 5th 2013, he picked up his 100th career win against the St. Louis Cardinals.
- He then began the 2014 season by setting an MLB record with 22 straight starts (dating back to July 2013) where he allowed two or fewer earned runs.
- Surprisingly, he was selected to the National League squad at the 2014 Major League Baseball All-Star Game and finished the season with a 17-8 record and a 2.71 ERA in 32 starts, the highest win total in his career.
- He finished the 2015 season with a 19-3 record, 200 strikeouts, and a major-league-best 1.66 ERA.
- He signed a six-year, $206.5 million contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks on 8th December 2015.
- On 3rd July 2016, he was placed on the 15-day disabled list due to a left oblique strain.
- On 24th August 2016, he recorded his 2000th career strikeout in the Diamondbacks’ 10-9 win over Atlanta Braves.
- He finished his first year 13-7, but with a 4.37 ERA in 158+2⁄3 innings.
- In 32 starts in 2017, he finished with a 17-7 record, 215 strikeouts, and a 3.20 ERA in 202+1⁄3 innings.
- He finished the 2018 season with a 15-11 record and a 3.21 ERA in 33 starts
- He hit two home runs and struck out 10 as the Diamondbacks won 8-5 against the Padres on 2nd April 2019.
- He batted .271 with three home runs and eight RBIs with the Diamondbacks in 2019.
- The Diamondbacks traded Greinke to the Houston Astros on 31st July 2019 with cash considerations. The Diamondbacks also agreed to pay $24 million of Greinke’s remaining $77 million salaries.
- Between the two teams, in 2019 he was 18-5 with a 2.93 ERA, as in 208.2 innings (sixth in the majors) over 33 starts he walked only 30 batters (1.3 walks per nine innings, the best ratio of his career and third-best in the major leagues), and had a WHIP of 0.982 (fifth-best in the major leagues).
- He produced a 3-3 record with a 4.03 ERA in 12 starts spanning 67 innings in 2020.
- He earned his first career Opening Day win on 1st April 2021 and 209th win overall, as the Astros defeated the Oakland Athletics, 8-1, at the Oakland Coliseum.
- In 2021, he was 11-6 with a 4.16 ERA in 30 games (29 starts).
- In the World Series versus the Atlanta Braves, he started Game 4, recording four scoreless innings.
- At the plate, he singled in the second inning to become the first Astros pitcher to get a hit in World Series plays.
- In Game 5, he was called in as a pinch hitter in the fourth inning and recorded a single, becoming the first pitcher to record a pinch-hit in the World Series since Jack Bentley in 1923.
Source: @si.com
Zack Greinke Awards and Achievements
- 6× All-Star (2009, 2014, 2015, 2017-2019)
- All-MLB Second Team (2019)
- AL Cy Young Award (2009)
- 6× Gold Glove Award (2014-2019)
- 2× Silver Slugger Award (2013, 2019)
- 2× MLB ERA leader (2009, 2015)
Zack Greinke Pitching Style
- Four-seam fastball – 91-95 miles per hour (146-153 km/h)
- Two-seam fastball – 90-95 miles per hour (145-153 km/h)
- Cutter – 88-91 miles per hour (142-146 km/h)
- Slider – 83-87 miles per hour (134-140 km/h)
- Curveball – 66-77 miles per hour (106-124 km/h)
- Changeup – 86-90 miles per hour (138-145 km/h)
Teams Played
- Kansas City Royals (2004-2010)
- Milwaukee Brewers (2011-2012)
- Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (2012)
- Los Angeles Dodgers (2013-2015)
- Arizona Diamondbacks (2016-2019)
- Houston Astros (2019-present)
Zack Greinke MLB Stats
(through 2021 season)
- Win-loss record: 219-132
- Earned run average: 3.41
- Strikeouts: 2,809
Who is Zack Greinke’s Wife?
Zack Greinke is a married man. He tied a knot to his beautiful wife, Emily Kuchar, whom he met while attending Apopka High School. By profession, Emily Kuchar is a former Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader and was Miss Daytona Beach USA 2008. The duo was blessed with two kids; sons. Their son, Bode put his step into this world on July 23, 2015. The happily married couple is currently residing in Orlando, Florida, the USA. They share strong love and fondness towards each other. His sexual orientation is straight and he is not gay.
Source: @heavy
How much is Zack Greinke Net Worth in 2021?
Zack Greinke is a baseball player who currently plays position Starting Pitcher for Arizona Diamondbacks in Major League Baseball, the senior baseball league in the United States. As of 2021, the net worth of Zack is estimated to have $120 Million. On 8th December 2015, he signed a 6 year / $206,500,000 contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks, including a $18,000,000 signing bonus, $206,500,000 guaranteed, and an annual average salary of $34,416,667. Back on 26th January 2009, he agreed to a four-year contract with the Royals worth $38 million. On 8th December 2012, he agreed to a six-year free-agent contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers worth $147 million. His career earnings is $251,955,276 playing for 17 seasons. His main source of wealth comes from his baseball career and he is living a luxurious lifestyle at present.
What is the Height of Zack Greinke and how much does he weigh?
Zack Greinke is a handsome and smart baseballer who has a tall height of 1.88 m and his balanced weight consist of 91 KG. His body type is athletic. His hair color is blonde and he has a pair of attractive blue eyes. Overall, he has got a healthy body with a charming smile and a glowing face. In late February 2006, he left spring training for personal reasons. Later, it was revealed that he was diagnosed with depression and a social anxiety disorder.
Zack Greinke Surgery
On 11th April 2013, Greinke fractured his left collarbone in a brawl with Carlos Quentin of the San Diego Padres after Quentin was hit by an inside pitch and charged the mound. He was placed on the disabled list and it was revealed that he would require surgery, which was performed on April 13, 2013.
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