Ruddy Lugo

Ruddy Joraider Lugo

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 0", Weight 190 lbs.
• High School Xaverian High School
• Debut April 3, 2006
• Final Game September 29, 2007
• Born May 22, 1980 in Barahona, Barahona, D.R.

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Biographical Information

Pitcher Ruddy Lugo is the brother of infielder Julio Lugo. He pitched two seasons in the majors, for a total of 102 games.

While born in the Dominican Republic, he grew up around New York, NY and went to high school in Brooklyn, NY. He was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 3rd round of the 1999 amateur draft but went through a number of organizations before making his major league debut. That included a couple of traded for majors leaguers. On June 1, 2001, he was designated as the player to be named later in the trade that had sent Marquis Grissom to the Los Angeles Dodgers in return for Devon White during spring training. On January 25, 2003, he was traded straight up to the Houston Astros in return for OF Daryle Ward , who was still considered a big-time prospect at the time. However, the Astros released him at the end of spring training in 2004 and he spent the next season in the minor league system of the Florida Marlins, who also let him go at the of spring training in 2005.

His break was getting signed by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, who were still struggling to put together a competitive team on the field seven seasons into their existence. He spent all of 2005 in the minors but was re-signed for 2006 when he made the team out of spring training. He had a good rookie season, pitching 64 times out of Tampa's bullpen and going 2-4, 3.81. He allowed 75 hits in 85 innings, walked 37 and struck out 48. He could not repeat those numbers in 2007 however. In his first 11 games for the Devil Rays, he gave up 11 runs on 17 hits in 10 2/3 innings, and while he had matched his rookie season's total of wins with 2, he was sent to the minors, then placed on waivers in mid-June when Tampa needed to use his roster spot for another player. The Oakland Athletics claimed him on June 14th. he pitched 27 times for them, going 4-0, 4.30 with 26 strikeouts but also 24 walks in 37 2/3 innings.

After the 2007 season, he was claimed off waivers again, this time by the New York Mets, but he would not return to the majors. Moved back to a full-time starting pitcher role for the first time since 2000, he went 7-12, 5.36 in 24 starts for the New Orleans Zephyrs. He was much better with the Toledo Mud Hens, the top affiliate of the Detroit Tigers, in 2009, finishing at 13-9, 4.07, but did not earn another chance in the Show. After pitching poorly for Toledo in early 2010, he was released, then pitched a couple of seasons in the independent Atlantic League in 2011 and 2013 before calling it a career.

In addition to his time in the U.S. based professional leagues, he pitched a number of seasons in the winter leagues, both in the Dominican League with Toros del Este and in the Venezuelan League with Tigres de Aragua.