Brad Lidge

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Lidge's time with the Houston Astros was defined by a dramatic rise from middle relief to the closer role following the departures of Billy Wagner and Octavio Dotel. In 2004, he shattered Goose Gossage's single-season strikeout record for relievers with 157 strikeouts, a mark that stood as the fourth-best all-time for pitchers in that role. Baseball writer Joe Posnanski later noted, "I have no doubt that Brad Lidge, that one year, was one of the most unhittable pitchers in the history of baseball," citing his ability to induce swings and misses on 42% of strikes and over 70% of balls outside the zone. His career with the Astros began with injury struggles, including a torn rotator cuff and broken forearm, but he made his debut on April 26, 2002, against the Atlanta Braves. He later became the third pitcher in franchise history to record 100 saves with the club in 2006.

In Their Own Story

The summer of 2005 marked a high point for Lidge's early career, highlighted by his first All-Star Game appearance where he struck out all three batters he faced—Melvin Mora, Mike Sweeney, and Garret Anderson—without allowing a hit. He threw just 11 pitches, two of which were balls, becoming the first pitcher to strike out the side in his debut All-Star outing since 1984. However, the postseason that year brought heartbreak; Lidge gave up a three-run home run to Albert Pujols in Game 5 of the NLCS and a walk-off home run to Scott Podsednik in Game 2 of the World Series, contributing to a sweep by the Chicago White Sox. Despite these struggles, he finished the regular season with a career-high 42 saves and a 2.29 ERA, ranking third in the National League.

Reader's Guide

For fans tracking Lidge's development, his journey from injury-plagued rookie to record-setting closer offers a lesson in resilience. He was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in 1995 but did not sign, eventually becoming the 17th overall pick by the Houston Astros in 1998 as a compensatory selection. His early professional years were marred by injuries at Quad Cities, Kissimmee, Round Rock, and New Orleans before he debuted in 2002. After taking over the closer role in 2004, he threw a four-seam fastball reaching 95–97 mph paired with a sharp slider ranging from 85 to 87 mph. His tenure concluded with the Astros after a difficult 2007 season where he finished 5–3 with 19 saves before undergoing knee surgery, leading to his trade to Philadelphia later that year.

Did You Know?

• Lidge became the first pitcher to strike out all three batters in his first All-Star appearance since Bill Caudill and Dwight Gooden in 1984.
• He set a National League record in 2004 with 157 strikeouts by a reliever, passing Goose Gossage's previous mark of 151.
• Lidge was originally drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the 42nd round of the 1995 draft but chose not to sign.
• In 2005, batters missed more than 70% of the time when swinging at his pitches that were out of the strike zone.
• He started the only game of his career in September 2002 against the Milwaukee Brewers, going 2-for-2 with a double and 2 RBIs before being pulled due to an intercostal strain.