Erik Goeddel: 2015 Mets Relief Pitcher (2015-2017)

Erik Van Norman Goeddel was born December 20th, 1988, in San Mateo California. 

The six three, right-handed pitcher attended the University of Southern California where he played baseball for the UCLA Bruins. Goeddel was drafted by the New York Mets in the 24th round of the 2010 draft.

He spent 2010 to 2012 in A ball, moving up to AA Binghamton in 2013 where he was 9-7 with a 4.37 in 25 games, all starts. In 2014 he became a reliever at AAA Las Vegas going 3-2 finishing up 17 games but posted a high 5.80 ERA. The Mets still gave him a shot at the big-league level.

Mets Career: Goeddel was called up in September, making his MLB debut on September 1st, finishing up a 9-6 loss in Florida to the Marlins. He would get the call to finish up six games that September, posting a 2.70 ERA with six strike outs four walks & three hits allowed in 6.2 innings.

2015 Mets Pennant Season: He started out 2015 with a good enough Spring Training to get him on the Mets roster going North. He remained with the Mets until mid-June, seeing action as a middle reliever as well as a sometime 8th inning man. 

After 22 games he was posting a 1.96 ERA when an elbow injury sidelined him until September.

From there a rehab assignment at St. Lucie was followed by a trip to AA Binghamton making it back to the Mets on September 1st. He took a loss on September 4th & was credited with a 6th inning hold on September 11th vs Atlanta. 

On September 24th he earned his first MLB win, after pitching a scoreless 7th inning at Cincinnati a day before the Mets clinched the NL East.

2015 Post Season: Goeddel made the Mets post season roster but gave up three runs on four hits without recording an out in his lone appearance in the NLDS Game #3 at Citi Field in the Mets 13-7 win.

That outing cost him his spot in the Mets bullpen as Sean Gilmartin was added to take his place in the NLCS.

Trivia: In the off season, his brother set up a gold outing which involved him & Mets nemesis Chase Utley. Goeddel said it was weird & the issue of the slide into Ruben Tejada came up briefly. Utley expected some retaliation & said just don't peg me in the head.

2016 Wild Card Season: Goeddel started out the 2016 at AAA Las Vegas, then joined the Mets in mid-June. On June 21st, he pitched two scoreless innings in the Mets 2-1 win over the Kansas City Royals at Citi Field.

A week later on June 30th he earned a victory pitching part of the 6th & 7th innings in a 4-3 win over the Chicago Cubs. He allowed two runs to the St. Louis Cardinals on August 24th & saw his ERA rise to 4.55. The Mets optioned him down again to AAA Las Vegas.

He missed two weeks of action but returned to take a loss in Atlanta on September 10th, when the Braves beat him in the 10th inning. 

On September 18th he earned a second win, pitching middle relief in a 3-2 win over the Minnesota Twins. On October 2nd, he closed out the year with a loss at Philadelphia.

On the season he was 2-2 with two holds, 36 strike outs & 14 walks in 35.2 innings of work with 36 appearances. 

The 2016 Mets won a wildcard spot but lost the NLWC game to the San Francisco Giants.

2017: Goeddel began the year at AAA Las Vegas going 2-4 in 25 relief appearances with a 6.67 ERA. Even though his minor league stats weren't that impressive, he arrived with the Mets in late June, debuting on June 21st, finishing a loss against the Dodgers in Los Angeles.

Goeddel would make 33 appearances for the Mets with a hold and a loss posting a 5.28 ERA while allowing 8 HRs & 11 walks while striking out 33 batters in 29 innings of work.

In four MLB seasons all with the Mets, he is 3-4 with a 5.28 ERA, striking out 109 batters while walking 38 in 104 innings of work with 110 appearances. 

In November 2017 he was granted free agency, signing with the Seattle Mariners. In five games he went 2-0 but was placed on waivers in May. 

He was picked up by the Los Angeles Dodgers making 26 appearances going 1-0 with a 3.38 ERA. He did not make the post season roster for the 2018 NL Champions.

Family-MLB Brother: Erik's brother Tyler, is also an MLB player, he was an outfielder with the Philadelphia Phillies, in 2016 he hit .192 in 92 games.

In 2017 he played minor league ball at AA Pensacola & AAA Louisville. In 2018 he played with the

Reds & Dodgers organizations. In 2019 he was with Nat's organization then his career ended at age 27.

Family:  The Goeddel's father, is a pioneering biologist who helped the development of both synthetic insulin & human growth hormone.