Duane Underwood Jr. #45

Full name is Duane Lee Underwood Jr.…graduated from Pope High School (Ga.)…was committed to the University of Georgia prior to signing with the Cubs.

2023

Made 20 relief appearances with the Pittsburgh Pirates, going 1-0 with two saves and a 5.18 ERA (24.1IP, 24H, 14ER, 11BB, 14K, 3HR)…began the season with Pittsburgh before being designated for assignment on 5/27…was outrighted to Triple-A Indianapolis on 6/2…spent the rest of the season with Indianapolis, going 0-5 with a 6.30 ERA (20.0IP, 20H, 17R/14ER, 7BB, 13K, 2HR) in 15 games (one start)…elected free agency on 10/2…prior to the season, represented Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic, tossing 3.0 scoreless innings of relief across three games (2K).

2022

Began the season with the Pirates for the second straight year...Made his first appearance on Opening Day on 4/7 and faced one batter before leaving with right hamstring discomfort... Was placed on the 10-day injured list on 4/9 (retro to 4/8) with a right hamstring strain...Was returned from rehab and reinstated from the injured list on 5/12...Was placed on the COVID-19 injured list on 6/13...Was returned from rehab and reinstated from the injured list on 7/3...Struck out at least one batter in 19 straight games from 5/12 through 7/24...Surrendered his only home run on 7/29 vs. Philadelphia; a two-run shot to Rhys Hoskins in the 10th inning...Picked up his only win in 10th inning victory on 8/4 vs. Milwaukee...Picked up his first career save on 9/13 at Cincinnati (game two), closing out a 1-0 victory.

2021

Was leading all Major League relief pitchers in innings pitched (72.2) when season was cut short due to right shoulder injury on 9/5...Pitched more than 1.0 inning in 29 of his 43 games...Threw a season-high 56 pitches in 3.0ip on 5/31 at Kansas City...Tossed 3.0 innings or more five times, including a career-high 3.2 scoreless frames on 5/26 vs. Chicago (NL)...Was acquired from the Cubs in a deal for minor league infielder Shendrik Apostel on 3/7...Made season debut on 4/1 at Chicago (NL) and struck out all three batters he faced...Picked up the win (second career) on 4/27 vs. Kansas City...Suffered two of his three losses over a three-game span; 5/5 at San Diego (1.0ip/2r/1er) and 5/12 vs. Cincinnati (1.0ip/4r/3er)...Pitched 2.0 scoreless innings and picked up his second win on 6/4 vs. Miami...Gave up a career-high seven runs in 1.0ip on 7/7 vs. Atlanta; inflating season ERA from 3.67 to 4.86...Was placed on the 10-day injured list on 7/9 (retro to 7/8) with right side discomfort...Was reinstated on 7/18... Made six straight scoreless appearances (11.1ip) from 8/5- 24 and posted a 0.59 ERA (15.1ip/1er) in eight games from 7/30 thru 8/24...Was placed on the 10-day injured list on 9/4 (right shoulder inflammation) and missed remainder of the season...Was transferred to the 60-day injured list on 9/6... Went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts as a batter.

2020

Set career high in appearances while spending entire season with Chicago (NL)...Averaged 11.76 strikeouts per 9.0ip; struck out at least one batter in 15 of his 17 outings...Induced a triple play on 7/29 at Cincinnati when, with the bases loaded and none out in the seventh, Kris Bryant snagged a Shogo Akiyama line drive, stepped on third to force the runner there and then threw to first baseman Ian Happ to force the runner at first...Tossed a season-high 2.1 innings on 8/6 at Kansas City...Earned his first Major League win in the nightcap of a doubleheader on 8/17 vs. St. Louis...Made eight straight scoreless outings (7.2ip) from 8/25 to 9/19...Pitched for Caguas in the Puerto Rican Professional Baseball League during the offseason (the team won the championship).

2019

Duane spent a majority of the season with Triple-A Iowa, but had three stints with Chicago (July 30, August 5-17 and September 1 through season's end)...had no record and a 5.40 ERA (7 ER/11.2 IP) in 12 relief outings for the Cubs, walking three and striking out 13...Stranded seven of 10 inherited runners...retired six of 12 first batters faced...Struck out all six batters he faced in his Wrigley Field debut, August 6 vs. Oakland...Tied the franchise record for consecutive strikeouts by a reliever in a game, previously done by Juan Cruz (March 31, 2003 at Mets) and Bruce Sutter (September 8, 1977 vs. Montreal)...Stranded three inherited runners and tossed 0.2 scoreless innings, September 21 vs. the Cardinals...With Triple-A Iowa, went 3-7 with a 5.07 ERA (46 ER/81.2 IP) in 33 games (10 starts)...transitioned from a starting role to the bullpen beginning May 31, and pitched to a 2.83 ERA (9 ER/28.2 IP) with 10 walks and 36 strikeouts in 19 relief appearances before he was recalled to Chicago.

2018

Duane made his major league debut in a spot start, June 25 against the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium ... allowed one run via a solo homer in 4.0 innings in the Cubs' 2-1 loss ... allowed two hits, walked three and struck out three ... Appeared in 27 games with Iowa, including 20 starts ... struck out 105 batters, while walking just 37 ... Posted a 4.53 ERA (60 ER/119.1 IP) with Iowa ... had a 3.26 ERA (36 ER/99.1) after the first inning ... Struck out a season-high 10 batters, June 8 vs. El Paso (5.0 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 4 BB, 10 SO).

2017

Set career marks with 13 wins, 98 strikeouts and 138.0 innings with Double-A Tennessee ... his 13 victories tied for the Southern League lead... All told, was 13-7 with a 4.43 ERA (68 ER/138.0 IP) in 25 starts... Walked three or fewer in 22 of 25 outings ... issued just three walks in 31.0 innings spanning five starts, July 17-August 11, while he pitched to a 1.74 ERA (6 ER/31.0 IP) and recorded a .506 opponent OPS in those outings.

2016

Opened the year with Double-A Tennessee before a right forearm strain landed him on the D.L., July 6 ... reinstated, August 16 ... with Tennessee, posted a 4.91 ERA (32 ER/58.2 IP) in 13 starts ... also saw time with Rookie League Mesa, Single-A South Bend and Single-A Myrtle Beach following the injury ... Overall, went a combined 0-6 with a 4.32 ERA (35 ER/73.0 IP) in his 18 starts ... struck out 62 and walked 35 ... Placed on the seven-day disabled list July 6 with a right forearm strain ... activated August 16 after a rehab stint with Mesa.

2015

Duane spent nearly the entire season with Single-A Myrtle Beach, his first season at the high-A level ... went 6-3 with a 2.58 ERA (21 ER/73.1 IP) in 14 starts, earning him his first mid-season All-Star selection ... Missed two months of action from June 27 to August 28 with a right elbow strain ... made two rehab appearances with Mesa, allowing no runs in 5.0 innings ... returned to make two regular season starts with Myrtle Beach after the injury, allowing two earned runs in 9.0 innings ... Posted a 1.85 ERA (13 ER/63.1 IP) over 11 starts in the first half, picking up six wins ... held a five-game winning streak from April 9 to May 22 ... Helped bring home the Mills Cup Championship, tossing 6.0 frames while allowing just one run and fanning a season-high seven batters in the clincher ... Tossed a season-high 7.0-scoreless frames June 16 at Winston-Salem ... allowed just two hits while walking one ... Allowed two earned runs or fewer in 12 of his 14 starts and one earned run or fewer in 10 starts ... Held righties to a .195 batting average against (26-for-133) while lefties hit .210 (26-for-124).

2014

Duane went 6-4 with a 2.50 ERA (28 ER/100.2 IP) in 22 games (21 starts) with Single-A Kane County ... allowed two or fewer earned runs in 20 of his 21 starts ... had a 2.21 ERA (24 ER/97.2 IP) in 21 starts ... allowed four runs in 3.0 innings in his only relief outing ... Posted a 1.45 ERA (9 ER/56.0 IP) in 12 starts on the road compared to a 3.83 ERA (19 ER/44.2 IP) in 10 games at home ... Struck out a season-high eight batters in 6.0 innings, July 11 vs. Beloit ... Earned Midwest League Pitcher of the Week honors for the week of June 30-July 6 ... tossed 6.0-scoreless frames July 5 at Clinton.

2013

Spent the entire season with Single-A Boise, going 3-4 with a 4.97 ERA (30 ER/54.1 IP) in 14 games (11 starts) ... Posted a 2.95 ERA (6 ER/18.1 IP) in five games (four starts) in August after recording a 6.00 ERA (24 ER/36.0 IP) in the first two months ... Tossed a season-high 5.0 innings July 15 and August 24, both games on the road at Hillsboro.

2012

Made his professional debut with Mesa, making five starts ... went 0-1 with a 5.19 ERA (5 ER/8.2 IP).