On July 22, 2005, Yhency Brazobán worked a spotless ninth inning to earn a save in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 6-5 win over the New York Mets at Shea Stadium.
That gave Brazobán 18 saves on the season, breaking the Dodgers franchise rookie record for most in a single season. Steve Howe previously held the record with 17 saves as a rookie during the 1980 season.
Filling in for injured closer Eric Gagné, Brazobán was a solid piece for the Dodgers bullpen when needed. Harboring a 6-5 lead, manager Jim Tracy called upon the rookie to close out the game against the Mets.
Brazobán made quick work of Mike Piazza, Doug Mientkiewicz and Miguel Cairo, to close out the win. The right-hander had also pitched the night prior, again facing the minimum in the ninth inning.
Overall during the 2005 season, Brazobán wasn’t spectacular, but in 72.2 innings pitched he logged a 5.33 ERA, 4.84 FIP and 1.40 ERA while finishing with 21 saves. He appeared in 74 games for the Dodgers that year, second-most among their group of relievers.
Brazobán spent five seasons with the club, originally signing with the New York Yankees in 1997, but was eventually traded to the Dodgers in 2003 in a deal that included Kevin Brown.
The Dodgers were unable to bank on Gagné in 2005, who was coming off three straight All-Star seasons. The Cy Young winner had broken the Major League record for the most consecutive saves with 84, but to open the 2005 season, he suffered a sprained elbow.
The 2005 season was be Tracy’s last with the Dodgers, as they went 71-91, finishing in fourth-place in the National League West.
Where did Yhency Brazobán go after the Dodgers?
After the 2005 season, Brazobán never was able to replicate his same level of production. He would stay within the Dodgers organization through the 2008 season, but wasn’t a main contributor.
He’d go on to pitch in just 9.2 innings from 2006-2008, before spending time with the Mets and Texas Rangers before his final stop with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2011. Brazobán pitched at the Major League level during the 2011 season with the Diamondbacks, tossing six innings over six games.
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