Matt Purke #50

Matthew Taylor Purke graduated from Klein (TX) High School in 2009 where he went 4-2 with a 1.18 ERA as a senior...As a junior at Klein, Purke was 12-1 with a 0.37 ERA (76.2 innings) and 147 strikeouts...Played two years of football and three years of basketball at Klein in addition to his time on the diamond...Was selected by Texas in the first-round (14th overall) of the 2009 First-Year Player Draft but did not sign and elected to attend Texas Christian University...In two seasons at TCU (2010-2011), he went 21-1 with a 2.61 ERA in 31 games (29 starts)...Selected as the consensus National Freshman of the Year in 2010 after going 16-0 with a 3.02 ERA in 20 appearances... Helped the Horned Frogs reach the College World Series...Also was named a Louisville Slugger secondteam All-American and Freshman Pitcher of the Year...Was also tabbed as Baseball America's National Freshman of the Year.

2017

Held lefthanded batters to a .192 (19-99) average with Charlotte (AAA) of the International League...Went a season-high 2.1 innings vs. Norfolk on April 6 and Gwinnett on May 6...Also went 2.0 innings on 13 other occasions...Struck out 80 batters in 65.2 innings (11.0 strikeouts per 9.0 innings)...Whiffed five on two different occasions (in 2.1 innings on May 6 vs. Gwinnett and in 2.0 innings on June 19 at Gwinnett)...Did not allow a run in 11 straight appearances from April 15-May 18 (17.0 innings). 

2016

Made 26 relief appearances with Class AAA Charlotte and 12 with the White Sox in his major-league debut...Recorded a 2.70 ERA (4 ER/13.1 IP) with 10 strikeouts at home for the Sox, compared to 13.50 (7 ER/4.2 IP) on the road … limited left-handers to a .167 average (2-12), compared to a .300 (18-60) mark vs. right-handers...First batters faced went 4-8 (.500) … allowed 4-7 inherited runners (57.1 percent) to score...His contract purchased from Charlotte on 5/13 … made his major-league debut on 5/20 vs. Kansas City, working 1.1 scoreless IP … recorded his first career strikeout in the eighth inning (Alex Gordon)...Worked 2.1 scoreless IP in his second appearance on 5/23-2 vs. Cleveland … allowed one hit in 2.0 scoreless IP the next night on 5/24 vs. the Indians ...Surrendered three earned runs on four hits over 2.2 IP on 6/14 vs. Detroit … the runs were his first allowed at U.S. Cellular Field after working 9.0 scoreless IP to start the season...Was charged with his first career loss on 6/23 at Boston after allowing one run on one hit and two walks over 0.1 IP, including a game-ending, RBI single to Xander Bogaerts...Faced two batters without recording an out on 6/29 vs. Minnesota … was optioned to Charlotte following the game for the remainder of the season...Limited opponents to a .210 average (30-143) with the Knights, including a .105 mark (4-38) vs. left-handers ...Owned a sub-2.00 ERA in May (1.80, 1 ER/5.0 IP) and August (1.38, 2 ER/13.0 IP) … lowered his ERA from 4.34 (9 ER/18.2 IP) in the first half to 2.75 (6 ER/19.2 IP) after the break...Opponents hit just .100 (2-20) with RISP/two outs...Made his only start on 4/22 vs. Gwinnett, allowing one run on three hits over 3.0 IP...Converted both of his save chances on 8/14 at Durham and 8/24 vs. the Bulls.

2015

Went 3-6 with a 4.36 ERA (31 ER/64.0 IP) over 20 appearances (15 starts) between Class A Hagerstown, Class A Potomac and Class AA Harrisburg...Opened the season on the disabled list to continue his recovery from Tommy John surgery in 2014...Made his season debut with Hagerstown on 5/28 vs. Kannapolis, working 4.0 IP...Was transferred to Potomac and made two starts before finishing the season with Harrisburg (eight starts)...Each of his first five appearances with the Senators came as a starter … allowed just two home runs in 24.1 IP...Was on the Harrisburg disabled list from 8/19-28 with a sprained left ankle.

2014

Was limited to just eight starts with Harrisburg due to Tommy John surgery on his left elbow...Was placed on the disabled list on 5/19 with a strained left elbow and missed the remainder of the season...Underwent Tommy John surgery on 6/13 … the operation was performed by Dr. James Andrews … was transferred to Washington's 60-day disabled list on 7/25.

2013

Returned to full health in '13...pitching for Potomac (12 Single-A Caolina League starts) and Hagerstown (6 Single-A South Atlantic League starts), combined to finish 6-4 with a 3.80 ERA in 18 starts...struck out 8.2 batters per inning and registered a 3.3/1 strikeout-to-walk ratio...participated in Nationals' Extended Spring program and entered Hagerstown's rotation on May 29...did not miss a start thereafter...pitched well (3-1, 3.91 ERA, 6 starts) for Mesa Solar Sox in the prestigious and hitter-friendly Arizona Fall League...did not allow a homer in 23.0 AFL innings.

2012

Went 0-2 with a 5.87 ERA in just 3 starts from May 30-June 10 with Hagerstown of the Single-A South Atlantic League...pitched in Nationals Extended Spring program...battled shoulder issues for much of season...on August 22, had surgery on left shoulder (debridement).

2011

Signed late...participated in the Nationals' Florida Instructional League program to get arm ready for the prestigious Arizona Fall League ... pitched in 7 games, to the tune of a 13.50 ERA, for the Scottsdale Scorpions ... struck out 5 in 7.1 innings ... did not allow a run in 5 of the 7 AFL appearances, including 4.0 scoreless innings spanning final 4 appearances from Nov. 4-15.