Whatever Happened To … Alejandro Pena

Alejandro Pena finished his major league career with a 58-52 record, 74 saves, a 3.11 ERA.What he did: Pena could not have had better timing with the Braves. He joined them late in the 1991 worst-to-first run and World Series, left after the ’92 season and then returned the final month of the world championship season in 1995. He has his ring from the ’95 title, another one from the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1988, was part of the National League first combined no-hitter and would start or appear in 503 games over his 15-year major-league career. But it all started in the small Dominican Republic town of Cambiaso when he was 18 and signed as a free agent with the Dodgers. He spent almost four full seasons in the minors, his best year at Class A Albuquerque in 1981 when he appeared in 38 games with a 1.61 ERA and 22 saves. Pena became one of the top prospects in the organization as he could close games but also could be used as a starter. He made his debut with the Dodgers on Aug. 13, 1981 to begin what would be nine years in L.A., first coming out of the bullpen before being moved into the rotation for the 1983 and ’84 seasons where he won 12 games each season. His ’84 season was memorable as he led the league with a 2.48 ERA. But the next season came shoulder surgery and he pitched in only two games and it took two seasons for him to get back to full strength before becoming one of the best relievers in the game in 1988 and ’89, pitching in 113 games over those two seasons with a 1.91 and 2.13 ERA, respectively. He also was the winning pitcher in the Kirk Gibson home run game in the 1988 World Series win over the Oakland A’s. But in December of ’89, he was traded with fellow pitcher Mike Marshall to the Mets for All-Star infielder Juan Samuel. He was very productive for two years in New York before the Braves came calling right before the trade deadline in ’91. The Braves desperately needed a closer and general manager John Schuerholz pulled off a dandy, getting Pena for pitcher Tony Castillo and a player to be named (pitcher Joe Roa). Pena would finish out the regular season with 11 saves in 15 appearances, allowing just three runs in 19 1/3 innings. It included the

combined no-hitter on Sept. 11 against the Padres which he shared with starter Kent Mercker and then-middle reliever Mark Wohlers. Pena saved both of Steve Avery’s wins (no runs in 16 1/3 innings) in the NLCS against the Pirates as well as another one of the four wins in the series. He pitched in three games in the World Series against Minnesota, including being on the mound when it ended in the 10th inning of Game 7 as he gave up the winning run. In ’92, Pena had more of mixed results, finishing with 15 saves and did not pitch in the postseason because of tendinitis in his pitching elbow. He was granted free agency, signed with the Pirates, then went to the Red Sox and Marlins. But again in 1995 when the Braves needed some bullpen help, he was brought back on the last day of the trading deadline. This time he wasn’t the closer but won two games out of the pen in the divisional series against Colorado and pitched in three games in the NL series sweep of the Reds and two in the title clinching World Series against Cleveland. He retired the next season after pitching in only four games with Florida.