.jpg/250px-Josh_Sborz_(cropped).jpg){kind=small}
.jpg)
Community hub
Recent from talks
Contribute something
Nothing was collected or created yet.
Josh Sborz
View on Wikipedia
Joshua Alan Sborz (/spɔːrz/ SPORZ;[1] born December 17, 1993) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He was drafted 74th overall by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2015 Major League Baseball draft and played for the Dodgers in 2019 and 2020. Sborz played college baseball at the University of Virginia.
Key Information
.jpg)
Amateur career
[edit]Sborz attended McLean High School in McLean, Virginia. He played for the school's baseball team as a pitcher and an infielder, and received all-state and all-Met honors twice. Additionally, he was named Group AAA state Player of the Year in 2012.[2] Sborz committed to playing college baseball at the University of Virginia.
As a freshman with the Cavaliers, Sborz mainly pitched out of the bullpen. He made 30 appearances for Virginia, which was the 10th most in team history.[3] Sborz joined the UVA rotation during his sophomore season and made 15 starts.[4] He started Game 3 of the College World Series finals against Vanderbilt.[5] In 2013 and 2014, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Orleans Firebirds of the Cape Cod Baseball League.[6][7]
For his junior season, Sborz was moved back to the bullpen and was named the team's closer. As a result of injuries to the starting rotation, Sborz made two starts towards the end of the regular season. He ended the regular season with a 2.49 ERA and was tied with Florida State's Billy Strode for the ACC lead in saves with 12.[8] For his accomplishments, Sborz was named to the All-ACC second-team.[9] On May 19, 2015, he threw a one-hit shutout against Georgia Tech in an ACC Tournament play-in game.[10] Sborz was named the College World Series Most Outstanding Player following UVA's championship run in the 2015 College World Series. He recorded three wins and a save in four games; pitching 13 scoreless innings with 10 strikeouts, four walks and seven hits allowed.[11]
Professional career
[edit]Los Angeles Dodgers
[edit]The Los Angeles Dodgers selected Sborz in the second round of the 2015 MLB draft.[12] The Dodgers announced his signing on July 8, 2015.[13] He was assigned to the rookie level Ogden Raptors of the Pioneer League to start his career.[14] After pitching in two games for the Raptors he was promoted to the Great Lakes Loons of the Single-A Midwest League.[15] He also made two starts for the Loons and was 0–1 with a 2.84 ERA leading to his promotion again, to the High-A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes of the California League on August 14.[16] In nine relief appearances for the Quakes he allowed two runs in 12 innings.[17] He remained with the Quakes for the start of the 2016 season[18] and pitched in 20 games, 19 of which were starts. He was 8–4 with a 2.66 ERA[17] and was named to the mid-season[19] and post-season California League All-Star teams as well as the league pitcher of the year.[20] He was promoted to the Double-A Tulsa Drillers of the Texas League at the end of the season and made 10 relief appearances with them, for a 3.78 ERA.[17]
Sborz spent all of 2017 with Tulsa where he started 24 games with an 8–8 record, 3.86 ERA and 81 strikeouts.[17] In 2018, he appeared in 46 games (all in relief) for Tulsa and the Triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers with a 4–2 record and 3.88 ERA with six saves.[17] The Dodgers added Sborz to their 40-man roster after the 2018 season, in order to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.[21]
Sborz was called up to the Majors for the first time on April 14, 2019,[22] but was optioned back to Triple-A on April 20 without appearing in any games, briefly becoming a phantom ballplayer.[23] He was called back up to the majors on June 20[24] and made his debut that night. After pitching a scoreless eighth inning. Sborz allowed three runs on two hits and a walk in the following inning without getting an out.[25] He appeared in seven total games in the majors in 2019, pitching nine innings and allowing eight runs to score.[26] Sborz spent most of the season with Triple-A Oklahoma City, where he was 4–3 with a 4.68 ERA in 50 innings (over 46 appearances) with three saves.[17]
The minor league season was cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and Sborz spent most of the season at the Dodgers alternate training site,[27] only appearing in four games in the Majors. He worked 41⁄3 innings, striking out two and walking one.[26] The only run he allowed all season was a solo home run by Wil Myers of the San Diego Padres.[28] Sborz was designated for assignment on February 11, 2021.[29]
Texas Rangers
[edit]On February 16, 2021, Sborz was traded to the Texas Rangers in exchange for Jhan Zambrano.[30] Over 59 innings for Texas in 2021, Sborz posted a 4–3 record with a 3.97 ERA while striking out 69 batters.[31] Sborz split the 2022 season between Texas and the Round Rock Express of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League. With Texas he posted a 1–0 record with a 6.45 ERA over 22+1⁄3 innings; with Round Rock he went 3–0 with a 1.61 ERA over 22+1⁄3 innings.[32]
Notably, Sborz was a member of the Texas Rangers' 2023 postseason run. He had a 0.75 ERA through 10 games, pitching 12 innings.[33] Sborz pitched the last 7 outs of the 2023 World Series, striking out Ketel Marte looking for the final out. It was the second save of Sborz's career.
Sborz was removed from a game against the Houston Astros on April 7, 2024, and placed on the 15-day injured list with a right rotator cuff strain.[34] In 17 total appearances for Texas, he compiled a 3.86 ERA with 17 strikeouts over 16+1⁄3 innings pitched. On November 23, it was announced that Sborz had undergone shoulder debridement surgery that would sideline him for the first 2–3 months of the 2025 season.[35] On September 7, 2025, the Rangers announced that Sborz would be shut down for the remainder of the 2025, after not making a single appearance.[36]
Personal life
[edit]Josh's parents are John and Tina Sborz. He has two sisters, Chrissy and Heather, and an older brother, Jay, who pitched for eight years in the Detroit Tigers organization. Chrissy is a licensed insurance professional.[3]
On November 12, 2020, he married Alexis Shaffer,[37] a former women's soccer player who had been named Atlantic Coast Conference midfielder and offensive player of the year in 2016 and was selected 25th overall by FC Kansas City in the 2017 NWSL College Draft.[38] They have two children together.[37]
References
[edit]- ^ "Rangers recall RHP Josh Sborz from alternate training site, place RHP Kyle Cody on 10-day injured list," MLB.com, Sunday, April 25, 2021. Retrieved April 25, 2021
- ^ Facinoli, Dave (June 13, 2012). "McLean Baseball Player Chosen Virginia's Finest by the Coaches". InsideNova.com. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
- ^ a b "Josh Sborz UVA Bio". virginiasports.com. Archived from the original on April 6, 2015. Retrieved June 29, 2015.
- ^ White, Jeff (January 29, 2015). "Sborz Embraces New Role in Bullpen". virginiasports.com. Archived from the original on June 18, 2015. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
- ^ Giannotto, Mark (June 26, 2014). "College World Series: Virginia falls short against Vanderbilt in Game 3 of final series". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 29, 2015.
- ^ "#27 Josh Sborz". pointstreak.com. Retrieved September 25, 2019.
- ^ "#28 Josh Sborz - Profile". pointstreak.com. Retrieved September 25, 2019.
- ^ Ramspacher, Andrew (May 18, 2015). "Sborz gets start for Virginia's ACC Tournament opener". The Daily Progress. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
- ^ "2015 ACC Baseball Honors Announced". Atlantic Coast Conference. May 18, 2015. Archived from the original on June 26, 2015. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
- ^ Associated Press (May 19, 2015). "Sborz throws 1-hitter, UVa beats GT 11-0 at ACC tourney". USA Today. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
- ^ "Virginia reliever Josh Sborz headlines the 2015 CWS All-Tournament team". NCAA. June 25, 2015. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
- ^ Gurnick, Ken (June 9, 2015). "Hard-throwing Sborz goes 74th to Dodgers". MLB.com. Archived from the original on June 11, 2015. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
- ^ Stephen, Eric (July 8, 2015). "Dodgers sign Josh Sborz & Philip Pfeifer". SB Nation. Retrieved July 8, 2015.
- ^ Hajek, James (July 25, 2015). "Rockies Pitching Stifles Raptors". Minor League Baseball. Retrieved July 27, 2015.
- ^ Bernreuter, Hugh (July 30, 2015). "Dodgers promote College World Series MVP Josh Sborz to Loons". mlive.com. Retrieved August 2, 2015.
- ^ Bernreuter, Hugh (August 14, 2015). "Dodger promotions include prospects Alex Verdugo, Josh Sborz". mlive.com. Retrieved August 14, 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f "Josh Sborz minor league statistics & history". Baseball Reference.
- ^ Walton, Ryan (April 4, 2016). "Rancho Cucamonga opening day roster highlighted by Grant Holmes, Yusniel Diaz". SB Nation. Retrieved April 5, 2016.
- ^ "TWO QUAKES NAMED 2016 CAL LEAGUE ALL-STARS". Minor League Baseball. June 8, 2015. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
- ^ Lindskog, Mike (August 24, 2016). "Quakes with 5 All-Stars, Sborz is Pitcher of the Year". Minor League Baseball. Retrieved August 24, 2016.
- ^ Gurnick, Ken (November 20, 2018). "Prospect Ruiz among 5 added to 40-man roster". mlb.com. Retrieved November 20, 2018.
- ^ Minami, Craig (April 14, 2019). "Dodgers recall pitcher Josh Sborz from OKC". SB Nation. Retrieved April 20, 2019.
- ^ Minami, Craig (April 20, 2019). "Hyun-jin Ryu returns to start today". SB Nation. Retrieved April 20, 2019.
- ^ Gurnick, Ken (June 20, 2019). "Hill placed on IL with forearm strain". mlb.com. Retrieved June 20, 2019.
- ^ Mike Digiovanna (June 20, 2019). "Dodgers' bullpen almost blows it in win over the Giants". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
- ^ a b "Josh Sborz Stats". Baseball Reference.
- ^ Starkand, Daniel (September 9, 2020). "Dodgers News: Josh Sborz Benefitting From Changing Arm Slot". Dodger Blue. Retrieved October 7, 2020.
- ^ "Los Angeles Dodgers at San Diego Padres Box Score, September 14, 2020". Baseball Reference. Retrieved October 7, 2020.
- ^ Stephen, Eric (February 11, 2021). "Dodgers designate Josh Sborz for assignment". SB Nation. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
- ^ "Dodgers trade right-hander Josh Sborz to Texas Rangers". OC Register. February 16, 2021.
- ^ Weaver, Levi (October 4, 2021). "Grading the 2021 Texas Rangers: Pitchers edition". The Athletic. Retrieved October 5, 2021.
- ^ Postins, Matthew (November 13, 2022). "Rangers 40-Man Roster Wraps: Josh Sborz". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
- ^ "Josh Sborz Stats, Fantasy & News". MLB.com.
- ^ "Texas Rangers place reliever Josh Sborz on injured list". Associated Press. April 7, 2024. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
- ^ "Texas Rangers' Josh Sborz undergoes shoulder procedure, will miss first 2-3 months of 2025". dallasnews.com. November 23, 2024. Retrieved November 24, 2024.
- ^ Morris, Adam (September 8, 2025). "Josh Sborz's season is over". Lone Star Baseball. Retrieved September 9, 2025.
- ^ a b "Joshua Alan Sborz". MLB.com. Retrieved July 21, 2023.
Joshua Alan Sborz…he and his wife, the former Alexis Shaffer (m. 11/12/20), have a son named Werth (b. 7/28/21)…Josh and Alexis met at the University of Virginia, where Josh played baseball and Alexis played soccer.
- ^ "Alexis Shaffer" (Press release). FC Kansas City. January 12, 2017. Retrieved July 21, 2023.
External links
[edit]- Career statistics from MLB · ESPN · Baseball Reference · Fangraphs · Baseball Reference (Minors) · Retrosheet · Baseball Almanac
- Virginia Cavaliers bio Archived April 6, 2015, at the Wayback Machine
Josh Sborz
View on GrokipediaAmateur career
High school career
Josh Sborz was born on December 17, 1993, in Washington, D.C., and raised in McLean, Virginia.[1][2] Sborz attended McLean High School in McLean, Virginia, where he emerged as a standout two-way player on the Highlanders baseball team, excelling as both a right-handed pitcher and first baseman. He earned two All-Met selections and two All-State honors, and was named the Virginia Group AAA State Player of the Year in 2012 by the Virginia High School Baseball Coaches Association.[1][9][10][3] In his senior season, he posted a 9-2 record with three saves and a 0.84 ERA over 58⅔ innings, striking out 95 batters while helping lead McLean to a second-place finish in the Liberty District tournament.[10] At the plate, he batted .422 with seven home runs and 28 RBIs that year.[10] Over his full high school tenure, Sborz accumulated 20 pitching wins and 20 home runs, showcasing his versatility and power.[10] In 2019, he was inducted into the McLean High School Athletic Hall of Fame.[11] Sborz's early exposure to competitive baseball came through his high school program, where his dual-threat abilities drew attention from college scouts.[12] Rather than entering the MLB Draft directly after high school, he opted to pursue the college route, committing to play for the University of Virginia.[10][13]College career
Josh Sborz enrolled at the University of Virginia in 2013, where he played college baseball for the Virginia Cavaliers as a right-handed pitcher from 2013 to 2015.[3] During his freshman year in 2013, he appeared in a team-high 30 games primarily as a reliever, posting a 3-0 record with a 1.98 ERA over 50 innings pitched and securing 2 saves.[3] Over his three seasons, Sborz made 80 total pitching appearances, ranking seventh in program history, and recorded 17 saves, placing sixth all-time at Virginia.[3] As a sophomore in 2014, Sborz transitioned into a more versatile role with 15 appearances, including 13 starts, while contributing 2-0 in the NCAA tournament with just 1 earned run allowed over 13 innings.[3] His junior year in 2015 saw him excel as the team's closer, making 33 appearances—the third-most in a single season in program history—and tallying a team-leading 15 saves with a 2-0 record and 1.35 ERA in 20 innings.[3] Sborz appeared in a Virginia-record 14 NCAA tournament games across his career, recording four College World Series wins (tied for second in CWS history), including pivotal performances in the 2015 College World Series where he earned Most Outstanding Player honors after going 3-0 with a save and no earned runs in 13 innings.[3] He concluded his college career without allowing an earned run in his final 27 innings, spanning from mid-May 2015 onward.[3] In recognition of his contributions, including helping lead Virginia to its first College World Series title in 2015, Sborz was inducted into the Virginia Baseball Hall of Fame in 2021.[14] Following his junior season, Sborz decided to forgo his senior year and enter the 2015 MLB Draft.[3]Professional career
Los Angeles Dodgers
Sborz was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Competitive Balance Round B of the 2015 MLB Draft, taken 74th overall out of the University of Virginia.[15][13] Following the draft, Sborz began his professional career in the Dodgers' minor league system, starting with the rookie-level Ogden Raptors before a quick promotion to the Single-A Great Lakes Loons, where he made his debut on July 24, 2015, pitching two innings and allowing two solo home runs but demonstrating early command.[16] He also appeared with the High-A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes that year, posting a combined 2.42 ERA over 22.1 innings across three levels with 25 strikeouts.[13] In 2016, he split time between Rancho Cucamonga and the Double-A Tulsa Drillers, achieving a 2.81 ERA in 125 innings with 125 strikeouts, showcasing his transition to a starter role before shifting back to relief.[13] Sborz continued progressing through Tulsa in 2017 and 2018 (3.86 ERA and 3.88 ERA, respectively) and reached Triple-A with the Oklahoma City Dodgers in 2018 and 2019, where he recorded a 4.68 ERA in 50 innings during the latter season.[13] Over his five minor league seasons with the Dodgers organization, Sborz compiled a 24-20 record with a 3.47 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, and 9.1 strikeouts per nine innings, adapting to professional demands by refining his slider and fastball command.[13][17] Sborz made his major league debut with the Dodgers on June 20, 2019, entering as a reliever against the San Francisco Giants and retiring the side in order.[1] He appeared in seven games that season, primarily in low-leverage relief situations, logging 9 innings with an 8.00 ERA and 7 strikeouts while splitting time between Los Angeles and Oklahoma City.[18] In 2020, limited by the shortened season, Sborz made four relief appearances for a 2.08 ERA over 4.1 innings with 2 strikeouts, benefiting from a mechanical adjustment to a lower arm slot that improved his velocity and reduced injury risk.[19][20] Throughout his brief Dodgers tenure, Sborz served as a middle reliever, appearing in 11 total games with a 5.40 ERA, 9 strikeouts, and 13.1 innings pitched, often called up for spot duty during bullpen depth needs.[1] On February 16, 2021, the Dodgers traded Sborz to the Texas Rangers in exchange for minor league pitcher Jhan Zambrano, shortly after designating him for assignment to make room for Trevor Bauer.[4]Texas Rangers
Sborz was acquired by the Texas Rangers from the Los Angeles Dodgers on February 16, 2021, in exchange for minor league pitcher Jhan Zambrano.[1] In his first season with the Rangers, Sborz established himself as a reliable middle reliever, appearing in 63 games and posting a 4-3 record with a 3.97 ERA over 59 innings and 69 strikeouts.[2] In 2022, Sborz struggled with consistency, frequently shuttling between the majors and Triple-A Round Rock Express while posting a 6.45 ERA over 19 relief appearances and 22.1 innings pitched.[21] In the 2023 regular season, Sborz solidified his role as a primary setup man for the Rangers' late-inning relief corps, making 44 appearances with a 6-7 record, 5.50 ERA, and 66 strikeouts across 52.1 innings.[2] His performance improved markedly in September after returning from injury on September 27, providing crucial high-leverage outs ahead of the closer.[22][23] Sborz played a pivotal role in the Rangers' 2023 postseason run, culminating in their World Series championship. He appeared in 10 games across the ALDS, ALCS, and World Series, compiling a 0.75 ERA over 12 innings with 13 strikeouts. In Game 5 of the World Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Sborz earned the save by pitching the final 2.1 innings, including a clinching strikeout of Ketel Marte to secure the 5-0 victory and the title.[24] The 2024 season saw Sborz limited by persistent shoulder issues, appearing in 17 relief games for a 2-2 record, 3.86 ERA, and 17 strikeouts in 16.1 innings, with no saves but several holds in middle relief.[1] He underwent right shoulder debridement surgery on November 13, 2024, performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache, which sidelined him for the start of 2025.[7] Sborz was placed on the 60-day injured list on February 17, 2025, due to recovery from the surgery.[25] He began a rehab assignment in mid-July, including 12 minor league games split between Double-A Frisco and Triple-A Round Rock Express (1-2 record, 5.25 ERA, 12.0 innings pitched), where he built up innings but showed reduced velocity. On September 7, 2025, Rangers manager Bruce Bochy announced Sborz would be shut down for the remainder of the 2025 MLB season to prioritize long-term health, resulting in no major league appearances that year.[8][26][27] Through the 2024 season, Sborz's overall statistics with the Rangers spanned 143 relief appearances, a 15-12 record, 4.68 ERA, 184 strikeouts, and 150.1 innings pitched.| Year | G | W-L | ERA | IP | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 63 | 4-3 | 3.97 | 59.0 | 69 |
| 2022 | 19 | 1-0 | 6.45 | 22.1 | 32 |
| 2023 | 44 | 6-7 | 5.50 | 52.1 | 66 |
| 2024 | 17 | 2-2 | 3.86 | 16.1 | 17 |
| Total | 143 | 15-12 | 4.68 | 150.1 | 184 |