Matt Foster
American baseball player (born 1995)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Matthew James Foster (born January 27, 1995) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago White Sox.
| Matt Foster | |
|---|---|
| Free agent | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: January 27, 1995 Valley, Alabama, U.S. | |
Bats: Right Throws: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| August 1, 2020, for the Chicago White Sox | |
| MLB statistics (through 2024 season) | |
| Win–loss record | 9–5 |
| Earned run average | 4.30 |
| Strikeouts | 117 |
| Stats at Baseball Reference | |
| Teams | |
Amateur career
Foster attended Valley High School in Valley, Alabama.[1] He was drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 29th round of the 2013 MLB draft, but did not sign.[2] He attended Gulf Coast State College for two years (2014-2015).[3] He then transferred to the University of Alabama, and played for the Crimson Tide for the 2016 season.[4] Foster was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the 20th round of the 2016 MLB draft.[1]
Professional career
Chicago White Sox
Foster split the 2016 season between the Arizona League White Sox and the Great Falls Voyagers, going a combined 0–0 with a 0.61 ERA over 29+2⁄3 innings.[1] He split the 2017 season between the Kannapolis Intimidators and the Winston-Salem Dash, going a combined 0–2 with a 1.30 ERA over 27+2⁄3 innings.[1][5] He played for the Glendale Desert Dogs of the Arizona Fall League following the 2017 season.[6][1] He split the 2018 season between Winston-Salem and the Birmingham Barons, going a combined 2–5 with a 3.30 ERA over 60 innings.[1][7][8] He split the 2019 season between Birmingham and the Charlotte Knights, going a combined 4–1 with a 3.20 ERA over 64+2⁄3 innings.[9]
On November 20, 2019, the White Sox added Foster to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.[10] On July 29, 2020, Foster was called up to the major leagues.[11] He made his MLB debut on August 1, pitching a scoreless inning of relief and earning a win in the process.[12] With the 2020 Chicago White Sox, Foster appeared in 23 games, compiling a 6–1 record with 2.20 ERA and 31 strikeouts in 28+2⁄3 innings pitched.[13]
Foster struggled in 2021 as he was in and out of Triple-A in that season. Foster appeared in 37 games in the major leagues compiling a 2–1 record with a 6.00 ERA in 39 innings while striking out 40 batters. In 2022, Foster made 48 appearances for Chicago, working to a 1–2 record and 4.40 ERA with 42 strikeouts in 45 innings pitched.
On March 20, 2023, Foster was shut down after it was revealed he had a forearm strain in his throwing arm.[14] On April 21, it was announced that Foster had undergone Tommy John surgery and would miss the entire 2023 season.[15]
On August 16, 2024, Foster was activated from the injured list to make his return from surgery.[16] On November 4, he was sent outright to Triple-A, but he rejected the assignment and elected free agency.[17]
Algodoneros de Unión Laguna
On April 30, 2025, Foster signed with the Algodoneros de Unión Laguna of the Mexican League.[18] In 12 appearances for Unión Laguna, Foster compiled a 3–0 record and 0.66 ERA with 13 strikeouts across 13+2⁄3 innings pitched.
Arizona Diamondbacks
On June 14, 2025, Foster signed a minor league contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks.[19] He made 31 appearances for the Triple-A Reno Aces, posting a 2–2 record and 3.89 ERA with 42 strikeouts and two saves across 34+2⁄3 innings pitched. Foster elected free agency following the season on November 6.[20]