Elías Sosa

Elías Sosa

Elías Sosa in 2008, at a baseball clinic in Nicaragua.
Pitcher
Born: (1950-06-10) June 10, 1950
La Vega, Dominican Republic
Batted: Right Threw: Right
MLB debut
September 8, 1972, for the San Francisco Giants
Last MLB appearance
September 18, 1983, for the San Diego Padres
MLB statistics
Win–loss record 59–51
Earned run average 3.32
Strikeouts 538
Saves 83
Teams

Elías Sosa Martínez (born June 10, 1950), is a former right-handed relief pitcher in Major League Baseball. He was signed by the San Francisco Giants as an amateur free agent on March 4, 1968. He played for the Giants (19721974), St. Louis Cardinals (1975), Atlanta Braves (19751976), Los Angeles Dodgers (19761977), Oakland Athletics (1978), Montreal Expos (19791981), Detroit Tigers (1982), and San Diego Padres (1983).

Sosa was used almost exclusively in relief during his 12-year MLB career. He appeared in 601 games, just three as a starter, and performed as both a closer and a long man.

He had several excellent seasons in the big leagues. He twice had an earned run average below 2.00 (1977 and 1979), and in his rookie year, 1973, he won 10 games, saved 18, and pitched in 71 games, all of which would become career highs.

Also of note in 1973, he saved nine of teammate Ron Bryant's major league-leading 24 wins, including #20 .

He finished in the American League or National League TOP TEN four times for games pitched and games finished, three times for saves, and once for winning percentage.

Other career highlights include:

Sosa did not get taken deep too often, giving up just 64 home runs, or one for every 14.1 innings pitched. But one of those home runs became quite famous, for it was the second home run of three hit by Reggie Jackson of the New York Yankees in Game 6 of the 1977 World Series. For his career, he finished with 59 wins, 51 losses, 83 saves, 330 games finished, and an ERA of 3.32.

In 1989 he played for the St. Petersburg Pelicans of the Senior Professional Baseball Association.


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