Jacob Seth Lugo graduated from Parkway (La.) High School...He lettered in baseball, soccer, football (punter) and track...He was a state finalist in the high-jump (6 feet, 2 inches)...Prior to the start of the 2020 season, had his first child, James, with his wife, Amanda...Went to Centenary (La.) College when it was a Division I school..Earned Second-Team All-Summit League Honors in 2010...Started the World Baseball Classic championship game for Puerto Rico vs. the United States in 2017 and won a silver medal...His paternal grandfather, José “Ben” Lugo, was born in Puerto Rico...A year after the WBC, Lugo reconnected with family in Puerto Rico...He and his wife, Amanda, planned to marry on the island, but Hurricane María forced them to change locations...His dad, Ben, was an avid baseball card collector, and the favorite card that he ever had was a Roberto Clemente rookie card (has since been destroyed)...He’s the only player selected in the 34th round in the 2011 Draft to play in the Major Leagues...Is an avid frisbee golf player and a fan of the New Orleans Saints.
2024
Was the American League Cy Young Award runner-up to Tarik Skubal in his first season with Kansas City...Set career highs with 33 starts and 206.2 innings in 2024, the latter of which ranked second in the Majors behind only Seattle’s Logan Gilbert (208.2 IP)...Ranked among American League leaders in quality starts (T-first, 22), wins (T-second, 16), ERA (sixth, 3.00) and WHIP (seventh, 1.09)...Pitched to a 3.00 ERA (69 ER in 206.2 IP) over 33 starts, which was the lowest single-season ERA by a Royals starter since Zack Greinke had a 2.16 ERA in his 2009 Cy Young Award-winning season...Became the first Royal to record at least 16 wins in a season since Jason Vargas went 18-11 in 2017, and he’s just the fourth Royals pitcher in the Wild Card Era (since 1995) to record a 16-win season...Earned his first career All-Star selection in 2024 and pitched a scoreless seventh inning in the American League’s 5-3 victory on July 16 at Globe Life Field, stranding two singles with one strikeout and earning a hold...Recorded 22 quality starts in 33 outings (66.7%) in 2024, matching Tarik Skubal, Logan Gilbert and Corbin Burnes for the AL lead...His 39 quality starts in 59 games (66.1%) since the start of 2023 ranked sixth in the Majors, trailing leader Zack Wheeler (47)...Lugo completed at least six innings in 25 of his 33 starts in 2024, which was just one start behind Gilbert and Wheeler for the Major League lead...His six starts of at least six scoreless innings were three behind Major League leader Bryce Miller, and he recorded at least six innings with one run or fewer allowed in 15 starts, which tied for the Majors lead...Held opponents to a .212 average (32-for-151) in scoring situations, which ranked third in the AL, behind Brady Singer (.192) and Hunter Brown (.197)...His 13 starts of at least seven innings ranked tied for second most in the Majors, behind only Logan Webb (15)...Per Baseball Savant, he employed nine pitches in 2024: four-seamer (746 pitches), sinker (577), curveball (500), slurve (315), slider (296), cutter (255), changeup (216), sweeper (125) and split-finger (82), making him the only Major Leaguer to feature that combination of pitches...Induced three double plays in three separate starts in 2024, and his 18 overall double plays induced were the third most in the American League, fewer than only Framber Valdez (32) and José Berríos (21)...Had a career-high-tying six-game win streak spanning seven starts from April 26-May 29, a stretch in which he pitched to a 1.52 ERA (8 ER in 47.1 IP)...Earned Royals Pitcher of the Month honors in three straight months to start the season, becoming the first pitcher to earn the honor in three consecutive months since Brady Singer from July-September/ October 2022...Struck out a career-high 12 batters over eight innings of a 4-2 Royals win on May 12 in Anaheim...Turned in his first career complete game on July 21 vs. the White Sox in Kansas City, holding Chicago to just one run on three hits in a 4-1 victory...He was the first Royal to allow no more than three hits in a nine-inning complete game since 2014, and he was one of just 11 AL pitchers to throw a complete game in 2024...Started two of Kansas City’s six games during the 2024 postseason, and allowed just three runs in 9.1 innings...Started Game 2 of the 2024 Wild Card Series in Baltimore and allowed one run in 4.1 innings, but did not factor into the decision of Kansas City’s 2-1, series-clinching win...Started Game 3 of the 2024 ALDS vs. the Yankees, Kansas City’s first home postseason game since 2015… he allowed two runs in 5.0 innings and did not factor into the decision of a 3-2 loss.
2023
Lugo made a career-high 26 starts for the Padres in 2023 despite missing a month while on the Injured List with a strained calf muscle...He worked exclusively as a starter for the first time in 2023 and set career highs in several categories with San Diego, including wins (8), games started (26), innings pitched (146.1) and strikeouts (140), while walking just 36 batters and posting a 3.57 ERA...Ranked ninth among National League starting pitchers with a 2.21 BB/9 rate and 6.0 BB% (min. 25 starts), trailing leader Logan Webb (1.3 BB/9, 3.6 BB%) in each category...Among pitchers with at least 25 starts in 2023, his 65.4% quality start rate ranked fifth highest in Major League Baseball, trailing only American League Cy Young Award winner Gerrit Cole (72.7%), San Francisco’s Webb (72.7%), Cubs southpaw Justin Steele (66.7%) and Philadelphia’s Zack Wheeler (65.6%)... His 17 quality starts ranked tied for 10th in the National League and 2nd among Padres pitchers, behind only Cy Young Award Winner Blake Snell (20)... Lugo issued two walks or fewer in 20 of his 26 starts, including seven starts in which he did not yield any free passes...the seven starts with 0 walks allowed over at least 5.0 innings pitched tied for the seventh most among all NL pitchers, behind leader Logan Webb (12)... Lugo established career highs with 8.2 innings pitched and 123 pitches thrown in his season finale on Sept. 26 at San Francisco, and the 123 pitches were the third-most in a single game by any Major League pitcher in 2023, trailing only Alex Cobb’s 131 on Aug. 29 and Michael Lorenzen’s 124 on Aug. 9...that start marked the longest scoreless outing of Lugo’s career, passing his previous record of 6.0 shutout frames... Struck out a career-high nine batters twice, including July 31 at Colorado and Aug. 18 vs. Arizona... According to Baseball Savant, his curveball had 60.0 inches of vertical movement, which was 7.1 inches more drop than similar MLB curveballs at his velocity...that 7.1 inches against the average ranked seventh in the Majors in 2023, trailing leader Danny Coulombe (10.8 inches vs. average)... Limited opponents to a .206 batting average (26-for-126) off his sinker, which was the 5th-lowest opponents’ average vs. any pitcher’s sinker (min. 100 PA), behind only Josh Hader (.190), Kevin Kelly (.192), José Quintana (.198) and Aaron Civale (.202).
2022
In his seventh and final Major League season with NYM, he posted career highs in appearances (62) and games finished (20), striking out 69 hitters while walking 18....Limited left-handed batters to a .167 (17-102) average, the eighth-best mark in the National League and tied the 12th.best mark in the Majors (min. 100 LHB faced)....Finished tied for 12th in the NL with 16 holds....Earned his first save of the season after pitching a scoreless 10th on April 22 @ ARI...stranded the free runner at second base, and he also had saves on May 3 vs. ATL and July 4 @ CIN...the three saves tied for the second-most in a season in his career....Was the penultimate pitcher in the Mets' combined no-hitter on April 29 at Citi Field, MLB's first no-hitter of the season...it was the second no-hitter in team history (also, Johan Santana, June 1, 2012 vs. St. Louis), the 17th time a team has thrown a combined no-hitter and the 10th time in the Wild Card Era...Drew Smith (1.1 IP, BB, 4 K), Joely Rodríguez (1.0 IP, 2 BB), Seth Lugo (0.2 IP) and Edwin Díaz (1.0 IP, 3 K)....Struck out a season-high four batters on June 16 vs. MIL over 2.0 scoreless innings...was the most in a game as a relief pitcher since September 9, 2019 vs. ARI....Pitched to a 2.00 ERA (4 ER, 18.0 IP) with 24 strikeouts in 17 games from August 19 - September 19. In his 7th and final Major League season with NYM, he posted career highs in appearances (62) and games finished (20), striking out 69 hitters while walking 18....Limited left-handed batters to a .167 (17-102) average, the eighth-best mark in the National League and tied the 12th.best mark in the Majors (min. 100 LHB faced)....Finished tied for 12th in the NL with 16 holds....Earned his first save of the season after pitching a scoreless 10th on April 22 @ ARI...stranded the free runner at second base, and he also had saves on May 3 vs. ATL and July 4 @ CIN...the three saves tied for the second-most in a season in his career....Was the penultimate pitcher in the Mets' combined no-hitter on April 29 at Citi Field, MLB's first no-hitter of the season...it was the second no-hitter in team history (also, Johan Santana, June 1, 2012 vs. St. Louis), the 17th time a team has thrown a combined no-hitter and the 10th time in the Wild Card Era...Drew Smith (1.1 IP, BB, 4 K), Joely Rodríguez (1.0 IP, 2 BB), Seth Lugo (0.2 IP) and Edwin Díaz (1.0 IP, 3 K)....Struck out a season-high four batters on June 16 vs. MIL over 2.0 scoreless innings...was the most in a game as a relief pitcher since Sept. 9, 2019 vs. ARI....Pitched to a 2.00 ERA (4 ER, 18.0 IP) with 24 strikeouts in 17 games from Aug. 19 - Sept. 19.
2021
Underwent surgery performed by Dr. David Altchek on February 16 at the Hospital for Special Surgery in Florida to remove a loose body in his right elbow...Missed the first two months of the season recovering from the procedure...Made his season debut on June 2 against Arizona...Had a 0.98 ERA (two earned runs/18.1 innings) in 18 games from July 19-September 3...Did not allow a home run during that span...Earned a 2.0 inning save on June 15 against Chicago-NL...Was his first save since August 9, 2020...Had 55 strikeouts in 46.1 innings...Had at least two strikeouts in 17 games...Had a 10.70 K/9 ratio...Has had a K/9 ratio of at least 10.00 in each of the last three seasons.
2020
Had a win as a starting pitcher, a win as a relief pitcher and three saves...Was the second season in which he recorded a win as both a starter and a reliever, and notched a save, having previously done that in 2018 (one win as a starter, two as a reliever, three saves)…The only other Mets to do that in more than one season are Nolan Ryan (1969 and 1970), Tug McGraw (1969 and 1974), Pete Falcone (1980, 1981 and 1982) and Ed Lynch (1982 and 1984)...Courtesy of Elias...Went 2-2 with a 6.15 ERA (18 earned runs/26.1 innings) with eight walks and 36 strikeouts in seven starts and was 1-2 with three saves, two walks, 11 strikeouts and a 2.61 ERA (three earned runs/10.1 innings) in nine games in relief...Six of his nine relief outings were scoreless...Retired all nine batters he faced in his start against the Marlins on Aug. 25 (Game 2)...It was the first “perfect” appearance of three innings or longer by a Mets pitcher since April 14, 2018, when Paul Sewald went “nine up, nine down” in a 3.0 inning relief stint vs. the Brewers at Citi Field...Before Lugo, the longest “perfect” start by a Mets pitcher was 2.0 innings by Pat Zachry at Philadelphia on Sept. 25, 1980...Zachry had to leave that game after pulling a leg muscle trying to beat out a double-play grounder in the top of the third inning...Courtesy of Elias Sports Bureau...Ranked seventh in the majors with a 1.40 ERA (three earned runs/19.1 innings) at home (min. 17.0 innings).
2019
Appeared in a career-high 61 games and recorded career-highs in strikeouts...Had career-highs in strikeout rate (33.1 percent) and a career-low 5.1 percent walk rate...Became the fifth Met (sixth time) to record at least 100 strikeouts in a season solely as a reliever...It was the first time since Armando Benítez struck out 106 in 2000...Benítez owns the franchise record with 128 in 1999...Earned National League Reliever of the Month honors for July... Went 1-0 with a save and a 0.00 ERA (12.2 IP, 3 BB, 16 K)...Had a 15.2-inning scoreless streak from July 2-August 5... Also hurled 14.1 consecutive scoreless frames from August 17-September 15...Allowed only two earned runs in his final 15 appearances of the season, posting a 0.82 ERA (two earned runs/22.0 innings) with two walks and 29 strikeouts...Was tied for sixth among all relievers and third in the NL with 104 punchouts...Was tied for sixth in the NL among relievers with seven wins...Ranked sixth in the NL and ninth in the majors with a 6.50 strikeout to walk ratio...According to StatCast, ranked second in the majors with an average spin rate of 3,285 rpm on his curveballs (min. 250 curveballs thrown)...Led the majors with 16 outings of 2.0 or more scoreless innings...Posted a 1.56 ERA (seven earned runs/40.1 IP) at home, second-lowest in the majors (min 35.0 innings)...Owned a 1.10 ERA (four earned runs/32.2 innings) with 42 strikeouts from April 7-June 21...His 21 holds were the most for a Mets pitcher since Addison Reed logged 40 in 2016...Retired 26-straight batters from July 21-August 10, tying him with Bobby Parnell (September 19-October 3, 2012) for the longest streak by a Mets reliever in franchise history...Held opponents hitless over 35 consecutive at-bats before Washington's Anthony Rendon homered on August 10...His 0.90 WHIP was the lowest single-season mark by a Mets pitcher (min. 50.0 innings)...It was the sixth-lowest in the NL (min. 60.0 innings)...On September 18 at Colorado, earned his seventh win of the year, tossing 2.0 scoreless innings with three strikeouts...Hit an RBI single in the ninth in his only at-bat of the season.
2018
Was 2-2 with three saves and a 2.30 ERA (20 earned runs/78.1 innings) in 49 games in relief and 1-2 with a 3.91 ERA (10 earned runs/23.0 innings) in five starts (May 31-June 25)...For the second consecutive year pitched exactly 101.1 innings... Was second on the team with 11 holds...Was fifth in the NL and 12th in the majors with 78.1 relief innings... Finished second in the NL and seventh in the majors with 27 relief outings of more than 1.0 inning...Had a 1.52 ERA (nine earned runs/53.1 innings) at home, the third-lowest in the majors (min. 50.0 innings)...Only Hyun-Jin Ryu (1.15) and Blake Snell (1.27) had lower home marks...Tossed a career-high 17.0-consecutive scoreless innings with 19 strikeouts from May 1-25...Was the longest single-season scoreless streak by a Mets reliever since Jeurys Familia's 17.0 scoreless inning streak from June 8-July 19, 2016...Also had a 13.0-inning scoreless streak from May 31-June 10...Earned his first major league save on August 12 at Miami with 1.0 scoreless inning in a 4-3 win...Also earned a save on September 9 vs. Philadelphia and September 26 vs. Atlanta...Had three professional saves prior to the 2018 season, all with St. Lucie (A) of the Florida State League in 2014...According to StatCast, ranked second in the majors with an average spin rate of 3,173 rpm on his curveballs (min. 150 curveballs thrown)...Was 1-1 with three saves and a 1.64 ERA (seven earned runs/38.1 innings) vs. NL East teams...Held opponents to a .192 (15-78) batting average with RISP...Posted a 1.42 ERA (three earned runs/19.0 innings) over his final 13 contests (August 19-September 26)...Became the third pitcher in major league history with consecutive relief appearances of 2.0 innings or fewer with five or more strikeouts, September 9-13...Right-handers went 49-200 (.245) and lefties were 32-174 (.184).
2017
Missed the first nine weeks of the season after being placed on the 10-Day Disabled List on April 2 due to right elbow inflammation...After going on a rehabilitation assignment in St. Lucie (A) on May 18, he was transferred to the 60-Day DL on May 26...Went on another rehab assignment on May 27 in Binghamton (AA) and was activated from the 60-Day Disabled List on June 11, when he made his season debut at Atlanta...Tied a franchise record by winning six consecutive road starts from August 25, 2016-June 29, 2017...Tom Seaver and Jerry Koosman each did that twice...Seaver did so from September 20, 1968-May 21, 1969 and August 9-September 27, 1969 while Koosman did it from April 11-June 4, 1968 and September 11, 1972-April 29, 1973...Pitched 5.0 or more innings in each of his first 19 starts, the second-longest streak in team history...Matt Harvey began his career with 44 straight starts of at least 5.0 or more innings...Ended the year by matching his career-high scoreless streak, tossing 8.0 scoreless innings over his last three starts from September 19-30...Went 3-1 with a 1.80 ERA (three earned runs/15.0 innings)...In his final 14 games (13 starts), opposing hitters batted .241 (13-54) off his curveball...Also on the 10-Day Disabled List from August 15-27, with a right shoulder impingement...Returned and started the second game of a doubleheader on August 27 against the Nationals...Hit his first career home run with a solo shot in his July 15 start off of Colorado's Chris Rusin in the third inning at Citi Field... Was called on to pinch-hit for the first time in his career on August 9 at Texas...Went 2-1 with a 4.20 ERA (seven earned runs/15.0 innings) in three starts for Puerto Rico during the World Baseball Classic... He started the Championship Game vs. the United States.
2016
Was with the Mets from June 30-July 2, July 6-August 2 and August 12 through the end of the season...The Mets won each of the last seven games he started (August 25-September 28)...Went 5-0 with a 2.45 ERA (11 earned runs/40.1 innings)...In eight starts after joining the rotation, he went 5-1 with a 2.68 ERA (14 earned runs/47.0 innings)...Earned his first major league win in his second career start in the Mets' 10-6 victory against the Cardinals on August 25 at Busch Stadium...Tossed 5.0 scoreless innings and allowed two hits...Became the fourth Mets pitcher with four wins in his first five starts in the majors after his victory on September 11 at Atlanta...The other Mets pitchers with four wins in their first five major league starts were Terry Leach (4-0), Jason Jacome (4-1), and Steven Matz (4-0)...Struck out Miami's Xavier Scruggs swinging at a 1-2 curveball in the sixth inning on August 30...Statcast measured the curveball to Scruggs at 3,498 rpm (revolutions per minute), which was the highest spin on a curveball they have tracked since the system was put into place prior to the 2015 season....According to Statcast, he had 12 of the 13 highest spin curveballs during the 2016 season...Allowed two runs or less in six of his eight starts...Made nine relief appearances for the Mets when he was first called up before being moved into the rotation...Went 0-1 with a 2.65 ERA (five earned runs/17.0 innings) as a reliever...Held lefthanders to a .196 (20-102) batting average and righthanders to a .240 (29-121) mark with the Mets...With runners in scoring position, opponents hit .149 (7-47)...Was 3-4 with a 6.50 ERA (53 earned runs/73.1 innings) in 21 games (14 starts) with Las Vegas (AAA) of the Pacific Coast League.
2015
Spent the majority of the year with Binghamton (AA) of the Eastern League…Won a spot start for Las Vegas (AAA) of the Pacific Coast League at Salt Lake City on August 5…Allowed two earned runs and five hits in five innings…Struck out 12 batters in 6.2 innings at New Orleans on August 23…Went back to Binghamton for a start against Altoona and then rejoined Las Vegas for four more starts from August 18-September 3…Won four straight starts from July 7-July 26… In 25.0 innings, he allowed 14 hits, one earned run, (0.36 ERA) with eight walks and 26 strikeouts…Did not allow a run in two straight starts vs. New Britain on July 7 and at Portland on July 12 (11.0 innings)…Right handed batters hit .245 (58-237) against him at Binghamton.
