Carl Pavano

[William Malone]

Carl Anthony Pavano was born on January 8, 1976 in New Britain, Connecticut.

The Boston Red Sox selected him in round 13 of the 1994 MLB Draft. He was traded to the Montreal Expos in the 1997 blockbuster deal that sent Pedro Martinez to the Red Sox. Pavano made his Major League debut for the Expos in 1998. He went 24-35 with a 4.83 ERA over parts of five seasons in Montreal. They traded him to the Florida Marlins at the 2002 deadline.

Pavano was 33-23 with a 3.64 ERA during parts of three seasons in Florida, and helped them win the World Series in 2003. Pavano was 2-0 with a 1.40 ERA in the 2003 postseason. He started the infamous "Steve Bartman game" during the 2003 NLCS, and tossed eight innings of one run ball in game four of the World Series that fall. The New York Yankees signed him to a four year, $40 million deal following the 2004 season.

His tenure with the Yankees was infamously disappointing. Pavano made just 26 starts over the length of his contract, suffering a string of bizarre and mysterious injuries. This included broken ribs from a car accident in August 2006 while on a minor league rehab assignment. Pavano didn't tell the Yankees about the car accident for another two weeks. Yankees ace Mike Mussina openly questioned if Pavano even wanted to play for the Yankees at one point.

The Cleveland Indians signed him to an incentive laden one year deal in 2009. They traded him to the Minnesota Twins in a post-deadline waiver deal on August 7, 2009.

Pavano went 5-4 with a 4.64 ERA in 12 starts down the stretch for Minnesota that year. He started the Twins regular season finale against the Kansas City Royals on three days rest, earning the win and helping force a "Game 163" tiebreaker against the Detroit Tigers. Pavano pitched six shutout innings against the Yankees in game three of the 2009 ALDS, but allowed two solo home runs after manager Ron Gardenhire sent him out there for the seventh. Minnesota lost the game 3-1.

He returned to the Twins on a one year, $7 million deal. Pavano went 17-11 with a 3.75 ERA. His seven complete games and two shutouts led the American League. He got to start the first regular season game in Target Field history on April 7, 2010 against the Boston Red Sox. Pavano was the winning pitcher, allowing one run over six innings.

Several teams were interested in signing Pavano during the off-season, but he came back to Minnesota on a two year, $17 million deal. Pavano went 9-13 with a 4.30 ERA in 2011. His complete game shutout against Kansas City in the regular season finale helped the Twins avoid a 100 loss season. An injury plagued 2011 campaign limited him to just 11 starts.

He was a pre and post game analyst for Miami Marlins broadcasts from 2014 through 2017. As of 2023, he was living in Fairfield, Connecticut with his family.

View full player