Yovani Gallardo

Yovani Gallardo (yo-VAH-nee guy-ARE-doh; born February 27, 1986) is a Mexican former professional baseball pitcher. He was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the second round of the 2004 Major League Baseball draft out of Trimble Technical High School in Fort Worth, Texas. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Milwaukee Brewers, Baltimore Orioles, Texas Rangers, Seattle Mariners, and Cincinnati Reds. Gallardo was an All-Star in 2010, and won the Silver Slugger Award for pitchers that year.

Gallardo attended Green B. Trimble Technical High School in Fort Worth, Texas. He committed to attend Texas Christian University (TCU) on a college baseball scholarship to play for the TCU Horned Frogs. The Milwaukee Brewers selected Gallardo in the second round of the 2004 Major League Baseball draft. Gallardo signed with the Brewers, rather than enroll at TCU.

With Brevard County Manatees of the Class A-Advanced Florida State League, Gallardo had a no-hitter for 8+1⁄3 innings before surrendering a triple on June 9; Gallardo finished the game with 11 strikeouts. Splitting time between Brevard County and the Huntsville Stars of the Class AA Southern League, he led all minor league pitchers with 188 strikeouts in 155 innings of work, the most in a single season by a Milwaukee Brewers prospect. His Double-A line included 13 starts and a 1.63 earned run average (ERA).

Gallardo started the season with the Nashville Sounds of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League. On June 14, the Milwaukee Brewers announced the call-up of Gallardo to replace starter Chris Capuano, who was placed on the disabled list with a strained left groin. Gallardo made his major league debut against the San Francisco Giants on June 18, yielding 3 earned runs in 6+1⁄3 innings for the win, with three walks and four strikeouts. In Gallardo's first at-bat in the majors, he hit an RBI double.

For his second career start on June 24, Gallardo had a no-hitter into the 5th inning. He would later take the no-decision when the bullpen blew the lead in the 8th. After coming out of the bullpen for three games, Gallardo was inserted back into the starting rotation on July 17 when then-Brewers ace Ben Sheets went on the 15-day disabled list with a right distal finger sprain.

Gallardo started the season on the disabled list. He went on the 15-day DL on March 21, 2008, with a torn lateral meniscus in his left knee. Upon his return on April 20, Gallardo pitched well during the next three games, compiling a 1.80 ERA in twenty innings of work.

During his start on May 1, Gallardo jumped to get out of the way of a diving Chicago Cubs player – Reed Johnson – and landed awkwardly, bending his right knee extensively, during the 5th inning. He continued to pitch through the 6th, but was later diagnosed with a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). Gallardo was placed on the 15-day disabled list, and was not activated until September 24.

Gallardo was the starting pitcher in game 1 of the NLDS on October 1, 2008, against the Philadelphia Phillies. He ended up taking the loss to Cole Hamels.