Jered Weaver

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Weaver's path to the majors was marked by a historic holdout; he and agent Scott Boras waited until the final minutes of the May 2005 deadline, setting a draft record, before signing for $4 million—far less than the $10.5 million sought. His ascent was rapid: after just over a month in Single-A and a stint at Double-A, he dominated Triple-A Salt Lake with a 6–1 record and 2.10 ERA in 2006 before his May 27 MLB debut against Baltimore. He won his first nine decisions, tying the American League record set by Whitey Ford. His dominance continued through 2010, where he led the league with 233 strikeouts and posted career-best numbers (3.01 ERA, 224.1 innings) despite a modest 13–12 record due to poor run support. In 2011, he became the second pitcher in history to win his sixth game by the team's 23rd contest, earning a start in the All-Star Game where he struck out Carlos Beltrán.

In Their Own Story

On July 31, 2011, tension boiled over during a game against the Detroit Tigers. Weaver gave up a solo home run to Carlos Guillén, who flipped his bat and stared at the pitcher, sparking an exchange of words that led to warnings from the umpire. The situation escalated when Weaver threw the next pitch just over Alex Avila's head; Avila ducked, and Weaver was immediately ejected alongside manager Mike Scioscia by home-plate umpire Hunter Wendelstedt. Earlier in his career, on June 20, 2009, Weaver shared a unique spotlight with his older brother Jeff in a rare pitching matchup against the Los Angeles Dodgers, though Jered took the loss in the 6–4 game. Another memorable moment occurred on June 28, 2008, when he combined with José Arredondo to no-hit the Dodgers for eight innings, only to lose 1–0—a historic bid that fell short of an official no-hitter because it ended before nine innings.

Reader's Guide

Fans can trace Jered Weaver's career through specific milestones: his draft holdout in 2005, his rookie year where he finished fifth in AL Rookie of the Year voting with an 11–2 record, and his selection as the Angels' Opening Day starter in 2010. He added a two-seam fastball to his repertoire that spring after instruction from teammates Scot Shields and Joel Piñeiro. In recognition of his contributions, he received the inaugural Nick Adenhart Pitcher of the Year award in 2009. While he later signed a five-year, $85 million contract extension with the Angels in August 2011, his legacy is defined by his control (just 31 walks through the All-Star break in 2011) and his ability to lead the league in wins twice. He remains a key figure for Angels fans who remember his fiery streak, often revealed by a fist pump or yell after striking out a batter.

Did You Know?

• Weaver and his agent Scott Boras set a draft history record by holding out until the last minutes before the May 2005 deadline.
• In 2010, Weaver led Major League Baseball with 233 strikeouts, beating Félix Hernández by just one strikeout.
• On June 28, 2008, Weaver and José Arredondo combined to no-hit the Los Angeles Dodgers for eight innings, but lost the game 1–0.
• Weaver was the cover athlete of MVP 07: NCAA Baseball in his Long Beach uniform, though he and his likeness were excluded from the final game because it released after he entered the majors.