Eric Stults

Eric William Stults (born December 9, 1979) is an American former professional baseball pitcher.

He pitched for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Colorado Rockies, Chicago White Sox, San Diego Padres and Atlanta Braves in Major League Baseball, and for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp in Nippon Professional Baseball.

Stults played for Bethel College in Mishawaka, Indiana.

Stults pitched and played center field for Bethel, which won the 2002 National Christian College Athletic Association Division I championship, posting a 10–1 record that season, and also played basketball at Bethel.

Stults was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 15th round of the 2002 Major League Baseball draft.

In 2002, he pitched for the Vero Beach Dodgers and had a record of 3–1 with an ERA of 3.00 in 13 appearances (6 starts).

In 2003, he was 3–4 with a 4.97 ERA in 7 starts for the Jacksonville Suns.

In 2004, he pitched for the Columbus Catfish of the South Atlantic League and had a record of 1–2, ERA of 2.49 in 12 appearances.

He also pitched in 7 games for Vero Beach that year.

In 2005, he alternated between Jacksonville and the Las Vegas 51s, he was 4–3, 3.31 in 12 starts for Jacksonville and 3–7, 6.58 in 14 starts for Las Vegas.

In 2006, with Las Vegas he was 10–11 with a 4.23 ERA in 26 starts.

Stults made his Major League Baseball debut with the Dodgers on September 5, 2006, against the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park in Milwaukee.

He pitched three innings and gave up three earned runs.

He earned his first Major League victory on September 10 at Shea Stadium as he held the New York Mets to just one run and two hits over 6.0 innings and 86 pitches, walking two and struck out three in the Dodgers' 9–1 win.

In 2007, he returned to the starting rotation with the Las Vegas 51s.

He was called up by the Dodgers to start the game against the Colorado Rockies on August 17, and struck out 9 batters en route to his first victory in 2007 after having thrown 7 innings and giving up only 2 runs, 2 hits, and a walk.

After an inconsistent stay in the majors in 2007, Stults was a long shot to make the Dodgers in spring training 2008 and was sent to Triple-A Las Vegas.

He was called up and made his first start with the Dodgers on June 19, 2008, replacing injured Dodger ace Brad Penny in the starting rotation after Penny was placed on the disabled list.

On June 25, 2008, Stults pitched his first Major League shutout, as well as complete game—as the Dodgers blanked the visiting Chicago White Sox, 5–0.

Early in the 2009 season, Stults replaced injured starting pitcher Hiroki Kuroda.

He made the best start of his career against the San Francisco Giants on May 9, 2009.

At Dodger Stadium Stults threw a complete-game shutout, throwing 123 pitches.

He struck out 5, walked none, and allowed only four hits.

On May 15, 2009, Stults injured his thumb while making a toss on a bunt attempt by the Florida Marlins' Hanley Ramírez.

Stults would make 2 more starts before going on the disabled list.

On July 1, Stults was optioned to the AAA Albuquerque Isotopes.

He pitched well with the Isotopes, before getting called up to make a spot start on August 9 against the Atlanta Braves.

Stults was optioned back to Albuquerque on August 13 and finished the season there.

On March 30, 2010 Stults was sold to the Hiroshima Toyo Carp of Nippon Professional Baseball.

He was 6–10 with a 5.07 ERA in 21 starts in Japan.

On November 30, 2010 Stults signed a minor league contract with the Colorado Rockies.

He had his contract purchased on July 3, 2011.

He appeared in six games for Colorado, recording a 6.00 ERA in 12 innings, before being designated for assignment on July 25.

On December 11, 2011, he signed a minor league contract with an invite to spring training.

Stults was called up on May 7, 2012.

He made two appearances for the White Sox before being designated for assignment on May 15.

Stults was claimed off waivers by the San Diego Padres on May 17, 2012, and he made his first start on May 19.

Stults went on the disabled list on June 6 with a strained left lat after compiling a 3.19 ERA in four starts, and he returned to the Padres on July 22 after making rehab starts with the Tucson Padres.

After pitching out of the bullpen, he rejoined the starting rotation on August 6.

He finished the season with an 8–3 record and 2.91 ERA in 20 games and 15 starts.