Ryan Thompson #81

With no fans permitted inside Tropicana Field in 2020, Ryan’s father, Ed, flew to St. Petersburg from Oregon to watch his Major League debut from Ferg’s Sports Bar & Grill near the ballpark … when Ryan entered the game, Ed ran around the bar celebrating with each out he recorded ... Ryan is a reformed autograph hound … his dad took him on a weekend trip to Seattle each year to attend a Mariners series and Ryan would wait at the visiting hotel for players to sign…one vivid memory he has is running at full speed up a down escalator to reach Derek Jeter, only to trip and land face first at the top in front of him … Derek told him, “Kid, it’s not worth it.”...While in the minor leagues, Ryan worked as a substitute teacher during the offseason and used the money earned to fund offseason training ... Ryan is a self-professed James Bond nerd … at one point, he was ranked No. 1 in Oregon and No. 6 nationally on the QuizUp trivia app in the James Bond category … his favorite Bond film is Casino Royale and Daniel Craig is his top 007 ... Ryan supports an organization called 2ndMilk … the organization provides nutrition for malnourished babies in developing nations...Attended Chemeketa Community College (Ore.) from 2011-12...Transferred to Campbell University (N.C.) and attended from 2013-14...Named to the Louisville Slugger All-American team as a junior and senior...Named Big South Pitcher of the Year as a junior and finished runner-up for the Gregg Olson Breakout Player of the Year Award.

2023

In 13 games with the D-backs, went 0-0 with one save, a 0.69 ERA (one ER in 13.0 IP), 0.54 WHIP, one walk allowed and nine strikeouts...Set career bests in opponent average (.185) and WHIP (0.91)...Began the season with the Rays and went 1-2 with a 6.11 ERA (12 ER in 17.2 IP) and 1.19 WHIP in 18 games before being designated for assignment on Aug. 16...Signed by the D-backs to a Minor League contract on Aug. 19 … was assigned to Triple-A Reno and did not allow a hit in two games (2.2 IP) with four strikeouts with the Aces...Recalled on Aug. 27. Made his D-backs debut on Aug. 27 vs. Reds and recorded his first save since June 2, 2022 @ Rangers. Became the 11th D-back to earn a save in his D-backs debut and first since Chris Devenski on April 4, 2021...Was scoreless in his first 10 games with the D-backs (10.0 IP) with just two hits and one walk allowed and a 0.30 WHIP...Boasted a 0.75 ERA (one ER in 12.0 IP) in September, with eight strikeouts and a 0.58 WHIP...After joining Arizona, did not allow a hit to a right-handed batter in his first 10 games (21 BF) and yielded just one walk...Over 13 games, limited hitters to a .140 average (6-for-43) with a 0.54 WHIP since Aug. 27...Was scoreless in eight home games (7.2 IP) with only three hits and one walk allowed...Opponents hit .182 (8-for-44) with runners on in 21 games...Held opponents to .239 (16-for-67) off his sinker and .097 (3-for-31) off his slider with a 38.2 whiff percentage … the averages were the lowest of his career...POSTSEASON: Made three scoreless consecutive appearances from Oct. 3-9 (zero ER in 4.0 IP) and Oct. 23-27 (zero ER in 3.2 IP)...Allowed his first run of the Postseason in his fourth appearance in NLDS Game 3 vs. Dodgers (two ER in 1.0 IP)...Dating back to Oct. 13, 2020, owns seven straight scoreless Postseason road games (8.0 IP).

2022

Suffered a season-ending injury for a second consecutive year…placed on the 15-day IL (right triceps inflammation) on Aug. 30, retroactive to Aug. 27…diagnosed with a stress reaction in his right elbow after feeling discomfort while throwing and was shut down for the season...Had a 1.19 ERA (22.2-IP, 3-ER) in his last 23 apps from June 18–Aug. 25, compared to a 6.75 ERA (20-IP, 15-ER) in his first 24 apps…from June 18– Aug. 3, made a career-high 17 straight apps with out an earned run…from June 21–Aug. 3, his 15 straight scoreless apps marked the longest streak of his career over May 29–June 17, 2021 (nine)...Did not allow an earned run in his first 11 apps...On April 11 vs. OAK, pitched a scoreless 6th inning in his first app in the majors since June 27, 2021 vs. LAA (right shoulder inflammation)...Allowed 19 hits, 15 runs (14 ER) and 4 HR in 11 apps spanning 9.2 IP from May 6–June 11…this stretch increased his season ERA from 0.00 to 6.63…yielded runs in six of 11 apps over that stretch, including multiple runs in four apps...Charged three blown saves in 6 apps from May 6-22, pitching to a 14.29 ERA (5.2-IP, 9-ER) over that stretch…charged a blown save in back-to-back apps from May 20-22 at BAL…in both, was a strike away from the save before yielding game-tying hits to Austin Hays…on May 22, a game-tying, two-run single by Hays in the ninth inning was the final at-bat before a rain delay...On Aug. 9 at MIL, snapped career-long streaks of 15 consecutive scoreless apps and 17 straight apps without yielding an earned run…allowed a pair of inherited runners to score plus a run of his own on a Kolten Wong double in the fifth...On Aug. 10 at MIL, issued an intentional walk and allowed a walk-off single to Willy Adames in the 10th inning…marked the second walk-off hit allowed in his career, along with a J.D. Martinez double on April 6, 2021 at BOS.

2021

Placed on the 10-day IL (right shoulder inflammation) on June 28, ending his season…an August rehab assignment resulted in continued discomfort, and he underwent thoracic outlet decompression surgery Sep 30, performed by Dr. Gregory Pearl in Dallas... Opponents hit .212 (11-for-52) in at-bats ending with the slider, according to Statcast... Yielded four runs (3 ER) in his first 5 apps but pitched to a 1.82 ERA (29.2-IP, 6-ER) after that... Inherited 26 runners, which ranked fourth in the majors and third in the AL at the time of his injury... Made his second consecutive Opening Day roster, both with the Rays... On April 6 at BOS, got the last out of the 11th inning and was in line for the win after the Rays scored in the top of the 12th…was a strike away from the win but hit Alex Verdugo on an 0-2 pitch…started the next at-bat with a wild pitch and allowed a two-run, walk-off double to J.D. Martinez, the third loss of his career and the first time he was on the mound for a walk-off loss.

2020

Selected to the major league roster on July 23 and made 25 apps in his rookie season...Was with the Rays for three stints: Opening Day–Aug 5, Aug 8 (29th Man) and Aug 9 through season’s end…recalled for his third stint after Oliver Drake went on the 10-day IL…spent 59 of 60 games on the active roster...Pitched to a 6.75 ERA (9.1-IP, 7-ER) in 10 apps in September and a 6.61 ERA (16.1-IP, 12-ER) in 18 apps beginning on Aug 14...Inherited 10 runners and stranded them all… was one of three major league relievers with 10 IR (or more) and none scored, joining DET Bryan Garcia (11) and CWS Codi Heuer (10)...Min. 20 IP, his groundball rate of 59.0 pct. ranked 8th in the AL...Allowed 4 HR, most among Rays relievers...Became the third pitcher since Stats LLC began tracking minor league phases of the Rule 5 Draft (2000) to be picked and make an Opening Day roster for that team…joined STL John Brebbia in 2019 and TEX Alexi Ogando in 2011...On Opening Day vs. TOR, made his major league debut and pitched two scoreless innings...On Aug 8 vs. NYY (G2), made his first career start and pitched two scoreless innings…his only hit allowed was a 2-out single to Aaron Hicks in the 1st…the next day, recorded his first career win with a perfect 9th inning...On Sep 19 at BAL, retired both batters faced in the 9th inning for his first career save…became the 12th Rays pitcher with a save, tying the major league record set by the 1973 Rangers...Ranked by Baseball America as the No. 25 prospect in the Rays system following the season.

POSTSEASON: Went 0-1 with a 1.93 ERA (9.1-IP, 2-ER) in 9 apps (1 start)…eight of his 9 apps were scoreless, the only exception coming in Game 4 of the ALDS at NYY…opened and pitched a scoreless 1st inning but allowed a Luke Voit homer and three consecutive walks to start the 2nd, with a second run scoring on a sacrifice fly

2019

In his first season in the Rays organization, went 1-1 with a 2.70 ERA (23.1-IP, 7-ER) in 16 apps (5 starts) between Class-A Charlotte and Double-A Montgomery…made his season debut on May 21, returning from Tommy John surgery…was out from June 22-Aug 7 with a fractured right fifth toe.

2018

Missed the entire season due to Tommy John surgery…selected by the Rays from the Astros in the Triple-A phase of the Rule 5 Draft.

2017

Split the season between Double-A Corpus Christi and Triple-A Fresno, going 2-4 with a 4.05 ERA (66.2-IP, 30-ER) in 37 apps between the two levels…made his Triple-A debut on April 20, the start of his first of two stints with the Grizzlies.

2016

Went 5-2 with a 3.35 ERA (75.1-IP, 28-ER) in 43 apps between Class-A Lancaster and Corpus Christi…promoted to the Double-A level on June 20 and remained there through the end of the season.

2015

Split his first full professional season between Class-A Quad Cities and Lancaster, going 5-2 with a 3.00 ERA (63-IP, 21-ER) in 43 apps.

2014

Led Astros minor leaguers with 12 saves, which tied for 3rd in the New York-Penn League… named to the midseason NYPL All-Star Team.