Ryan Tepera

BIOGRAPHY

Ryan Tepera was born November 3, 1987, in Houston, Texas. He is a pitcher in the MLB.

After participating in 2016 Major League spring training, Tepera was announced on March 30 as one of the Blue Jays bullpen pitchers for Opening Day. However, shortly afterward the Blue Jays signed Franklin Morales and optioned Tepera to Triple-A Buffalo. On April 27, Tepera was recalled from Buffalo. After taking the loss against the San Francisco Giants on May 11, Tepera was optioned back to Triple-A Buffalo. He was recalled on May 30, and optioned again on June 5. On July 24, Tepera was recalled after Drew Storen was designated for assignment. Tepera was returned to Buffalo on July 26. He was recalled on August 10, and optioned back to Buffalo on August 23. After the Major League roster expansion on September 1, Tepera was called up by Toronto. After spring training, Tepera made the 2017 Opening Day roster. On April 21, he earned his first career win after pitching three shutout innings against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Tepera finished the 2017 season with a 3.59 ERA and 81 strikeouts over 772⁄3 innings. He began the 2018 season as the setup man to closer Roberto Osuna.

Tepera was designated for assignment on November 4, 2019. He elected free agency four days later. On December 20, he signed a one-year deal with the Chicago Cubs. On November 12, 2020, Tepera received a single vote for National League Most Valuable Player, finishing in a tie for eighteenth place. Rick Hummel, the writer who cast the vote for Tepera, indicated that it was an input error: Hummel had intended to vote for Trea Turner, but clicked the wrong name on the online form's drop-down menu. On December 2, Tepera was nontendered by the Cubs.

On February 26, 2021, Tepera re-signed with the Cubs on a one-year, $800K contract. On April 15, Tepera received a three-game suspension for intentionally throwing a pitch at pitcher Brandon Woodruff in a game against the Milwaukee Brewers. Tepera was named the NL Reliever of the Month for May. On June 24, 2021, Tepera pitched a combined no-hitter against the Los Angeles Dodgers along with Zach Davies, Andrew Chafin, and Craig Kimbrel.

On July 29, 2021, Tepera was traded to the Chicago White Sox in exchange for Bailey Horn. Between the Cubs and White Sox, in 2021 Tepera had a 2.79 ERA with 74 strikeouts in 61+1⁄3 innings. Tepera pitched 4+2⁄3 innings for the White Sox in the series, allowing one run on two hits with three strikeouts.

On March 19, 2022, Tepera signed a 2-year, $14M contract with the Los Angeles Angels. He made his Angels debut on April 7, 2022, against the Houston Astros, pitching one inning but surrendering consecutive solo home runs to Alex Bregman and Yordan Álvarez. On April 11, 2022, he struck out the side in the 8th inning in a 6–2 win over the Marlins. On April 20, Tepera pitched 2.0 perfect innings in a combined 1-hit 1-walk shutout in relief of starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani.