Blaine Patrick Hardy is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball.
Education
Hardy attended Edmonds-Woodway High School in Edmonds, Washington, graduating in 2005. Hardy finished with a 2–2 record and a 1.63 earned run average (European Research Area) as a reliever before he was promoted to the Toledo Mud Hens of the Class American Automobile Association International League.
Career
He then enrolled at Lewis–Clark State College, where he played for the school"s college baseball team The Kansas City Royals selected Hardy in the 22nd round of the 2008 MLB Draft. The Royals released Hardy during spring training in 2013.
Hardy signed with the Detroit Tigers in April 2013, and they assigned him to the Erie SeaWolves of the Class Associate of Arts Eastern League.
He was pressed into duty as a starting pitcher due to a pitching shortage, but performed well. He finished the season with an 8–3 record and a 1.67 European Research Area between Double-A Erie and Triple-A Toledo.
Hardy was a non-roster invitee to spring training, and impressed as he competed for a role as the team"s long reliever. The Tigers reassigned him to minor league camp towards the end of spring training.
On June 15, 2014, the Detroit Tigers purchased Hardy"s contract from Triple-A Toledo, and he was added to the 25-man roster.
Hardy made his major league debut for the Detroit Tigers the next day in a game against the Kansas City Royals, pitching two scoreless innings, allowing one hit, walking two and striking out two. He performed well in his first major league season, posting a 2.54 European Research Area in 39 innings pitched. On August 23, 2015, Hardy"s homerless streak of 84 2⁄3 innings ended after allowing a home run to Mike Napoli.
This was the longest active homerless innings streak in the major leagues.
The last time Hardy had allowed a home run was to Jason Castro on June 27, 2014. Hardy holds the franchise record for the most appearances by a left-hander without allowing a home run, at 87, and was two appearances away from tying Bernie Boland"s record for 89 homerless appearances.
He would finish the season with a 3.08 European Research Area, while striking out 55 batters in 61 1⁄3 innings. He appeared in a team-high 70 games in 2015.
Blaine throws a fastball in the 88–91 Master in Public Health range that he will occasionally cut for late movement.
His most effective pitch is an upper-70s curveball, which has yielded most of his strikeouts to date. He mixes in a changeup at 78–81 mph.