Javy Guerra (baseball, born 1985)
Luis Javier Guerra (born October 31, 1985) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Toros de Tijuana of the Mexican League. Guerra was drafted in the 4th round of the 2004 MLB Draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers. He made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut with the Dodgers in 2011. He has also played in MLB for the Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Angels, Miami Marlins, Toronto Blue Jays, and Washington Nationals. He won the 2019 World Series with the Nationals.
Guerra was drafted in the 4th round of the 2004 MLB Draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers out of Billy Ryan High School in Denton, Texas. He is of Mexican descent.
In the Dodgers system he pitched for the Columbus Catfish in 2005, Ogden Raptors in 2006, Inland Empire 66ers of San Bernardino from 2007–2008 and split 2009 between the Great Lakes Loons and the Chattanooga Lookouts. He was selected to the Midwest League Mid-season All-Star team in 2009 and participated in the Arizona Fall League Rising Stars game. In 2010 with Chattanooga he had a 2.33 ERA in 28 games, despite missing a portion of the season due to injury. Following the season, he played for the Phoenix Desert Dogs in the Arizona Fall League. He returned to Chattanooga to start 2011.
Guerra was called up to the Dodgers on May 15, 2011 and made his debut in the ninth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks, working a scoreless inning. On May 24 he was credited with his first career save by pitching a scoreless ninth inning against the Houston Astros. On June 4 he earned his first win by pitching the tenth inning and part of the eleventh, allowing one run in an 11-8 victory against the Cincinnati Reds; he also batted for himself and drew a base on balls. With Jonathan Broxton out for the year with injuries, Guerra became the Dodgers closer for most of the season. He finished with a 2-2 record, 2.31 ERA and 21 saves.
Guerra began 2012 as the Dodgers closer and picked up saves in his first five chances and seven of his first eight, but then he went through a period where he blew two of his next three opportunities and also pitched poorly in some non-save appearances. As a result, he was dropped from the closer role in favor of Kenley Jansen.[1] He was later demoted to the AAA Albuquerque Isotopes in August.[2] Guerra rejoined the Dodgers when rosters expanded in September, but suffered a strained oblique and was placed on the disabled list for the remainder of the season.[3] Overall, he appeared in 45 games for the Dodgers in 2012, with a 2-3 record, 2.60 ERA and 8 saves.
On November 2, Guerra underwent arthroscopic right shoulder surgery, his third different surgery in 2012.[4] He returned in time for spring training, but his injury kept him from participating in the 2013 World Baseball Classic.[5][6] He also suffered a groin strain during spring training and the setback led to him falling behind the other relievers and he was optioned to Albuquerque to start the season.[7] He spent the bulk of the season there, appearing in 27 games (including 4 as a starter) and was 0-4 with a 3.66 ERA and 12 saves. He also appeared in 9 games with the Dodgers in May and had an ERA of 6.75.[8]
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