Aaron Loup: Mets Relief Pitcher (2021)

 Aaron Christopher Loup was born December 19th 1987 in Raceland, Louisiana. The five foot eleven, left hander, grew up a fan of the Atlanta Braves in their hey days of the 1990's. He was influenced in baseball by both his father & grandfather.

Loup attended Tulane University, playing for the Green Wave baseball team, getting drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in 9th round of the 2009 MLB draft.

In the minors he was taught to throw
side armed, by pitching coach & former Oakland A's pitcher, Darold Knowles. The side arm delivery helped him become a better pitcher.

After three years in the minors, he was called up to a Blue Jays staff that used 32 different pitchers in the 2012 season. In 33 games he was 0-2 but posted a 2.64 ERA & was voted the Jays Rookie of the Year. 

He would be a main stay in the Blue Jays bullpen for parts of seven seasons, as a situational one inning guy, which is the way manager John Gibbons described him.

He was less effective in 2015 & in 2016 began the year on the disabled list, eventually getting put on waivers by August. He & the Jays agreed on a one year deal for 2017, as he rebounded to appear in 70 games, posting a 3.75 ERA going 2-3 with 8 games finished.

In July 2018 he was traded to the

Philadelphia Phillies for Jacob Waguespack. He then signed a one year deal with San Diego Padres, only appearing in four games due to injuries.

In the 2020 Covid19 shortened season, he got a chance with the Tampa Rays. On August 16th, he was credited with two wins on the same day, both coming against his old Blue Jays team mates,  as the first game was a follow-up to a previous days rainout. On the year he went 3-2 for his first winning season above .500, posting a 2.52 ERA in 24 games.

Mets Career: In 2021 he was signed by the New York Mets. Loup made his debut on Opening Day & blew a save opportunity in the 8th inning, ruining Jacob deGrom's six inning shut out. The Mets lost 5-3 to the Phillies. 

On May 7th, he earned his first Mets win, coming into the game, against the d-backs, in the 10th inning at Citi Field. He would earn a hold the next day & collect four in the month of May. 

On May 19th, he blew another save,
this one in Atlanta, as the Braves greeted him with three straight 8th inning hits.

He began June earning his sixth hold, in a win at Arizona. On June 11 & 12th, Loup collected holds, in the first two games, of the series at Citi Field against the San Diego Padres.

As of June 14th he had pitched in 22 Mets games, going 1-0 with a 2.20 ERA, 18 strike outs in 16.2 innings.

He was extremely pitching well against lefties, as they were hitting just .182 against him.

Career: In his ten year career he has pitched in 428 games going 16-22 with six saves, 65 games finished & a 3.33 ERA. He has 344 Ks & 106 walks in 367 innings of work.

Family: Loup married his high school sweetheart, Leigh Ann, together they have two children.  The quiet reserved guy, lives in Louisiana, likes to fish, as well as hunt with gun & bow.