Don Rudolph

Born: 8/16/1931 in Baltimore, MD, USA

Died: 9/12/1968 in Granada Hills, CA, USA

MLB Debut: 1957-09-21 | Final Game: 1964-10-03

Bats: L | Throws: L | Height: 5'11" | Weight: 195 lbs

Full name: Frederick Donald Rudolph

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Biography

Don Rudolph, born in 1931, was a professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1957 until 1964. Known for his competitive spirit and versatility on the mound, Rudolph made his mark during a transformative era in baseball, navigating the transition from the post-war years into the more dynamic offensive climate of the 1960s. Over his career, he recorded a win-loss record of 18-32 and maintained an earned run average (ERA) of 4.0, showcasing his ability to compete against some of the best hitters of his time. Rudolph's tenure in the league also highlighted his skills as a strikeout artist, amassing a total of 182 strikeouts, and demonstrating his capability to handle pressure situations with three saves. While his overall record may not have reflected a prolific career, his contributions on the mound and in the bullpen were significant during his time with teams that were striving for success in a highly competitive environment. His playing style and determination helped pave the way for future generations of pitchers, making him a noteworthy figure in the history of baseball.

Career Pitching Statistics

W	L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	IP	H	ER	HR	BB	SO	ERA	Pitcher PIV
18	32	124	57	10	2	3	450.3	485	200	54	102	182	4.00	0

Career ERA 4.00 vs. league average 3.75 across their career seasons — 6.5% worse than league average.

Season-by-Season Pitching

Year	Team	Lg	W	L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	IP	H	ER	BB	SO	ERA	Lg ERA	Pitcher PIV
1957	CHW	AL	1	0	5	0	0	0	0	12.0	6	3	2	2	2.25	3.83 (+41%)	-
1958	CHW	AL	1	0	7	0	0	0	1	7.0	4	2	5	2	2.57	—	-
1959	CHW	AL	0	0	4	0	0	0	1	3.0	4	0	2	0	0.00	—	-
1959	CIN	NL	0	0	5	0	0	0	0	7.3	13	4	3	8	4.91	—	0.0
1962	CLE	AL	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0.3	1	0	0	0	0.00	—	0.0
1962	WS2	AL	8	10	37	23	6	2	0	176.3	187	71	42	68	3.62	3.96 (+8%)	1760.3
1963	WS2	AL	7	19	37	26	4	0	1	174.0	189	88	36	70	4.55	3.46 (-32%)	-4648.0
1964	WS2	AL	1	3	28	8	0	0	0	70.3	81	32	12	32	4.09	3.58 (-14%)	-846.7

Career Batting Statistics

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	PIV
124	120	8	20	5	1	1	6	0	7	35	0.167	0.217	0.250	0.467	-334.9

Career AVG .167 vs. league average .254 across their career seasons — 34.4% below league average.

Career OBP .217 vs. league average .320 across their career seasons — 32.1% below league average.

Career SLG .250 vs. league average .386 across their career seasons — 35.2% below league average.

Career OPS 0.467 vs. league average 0.706 across their career seasons — 33.8% below league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Year	Team	Lg	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	AVG	Lg AVG	Lg OBP	Lg SLG	Lg OPS
1957	CHW	AL	5	2	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0.500	—	—	—	—
1958	CHW	AL	7	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	—	—	—	—
1959	CHW	AL	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	—	—	—	—
1959	CIN	NL	5	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0.000	—	—	—	—
1962	CLE	AL	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	—	—	—	—
1962	WS2	AL	37	57	5	10	2	1	0	2	3	18	0.175	.257 (-32%)	.326 (-30%)	.393 (-38%)	.719 (-34%)
1963	WS2	AL	37	45	3	8	2	0	1	4	3	10	0.178	—	—	—	—
1964	WS2	AL	28	15	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	6	0.067	—	—	—	—