Andy Ashby
Quick Facts
Biography
Andrew Jason Ashby (born July 11, 1967) is an American former professional baseball starting pitcher, who played for the Philadelphia Phillies, Colorado Rockies, San Diego Padres, Atlanta Braves, and Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball. Listed at 6' 1", 180 lb., Ashby batted and threw right-handed. He was born in Kansas City, Missouri.
Career
Ashby attended Park Hill High School in Kansas City and played baseball with the Crowder Roughriders at Crowder College. He was signed as an undrafted free agent in 1986 by the Phillies, with whom he made his Major League debut in 1991.
On June 15, 1991, Ashby struck out three batters on nine pitches in the fourth inning of a 3–1 loss to the Cincinnati Reds; Ashby became the 15th National League pitcher and the 24th pitcher in Major League history to accomplish the nine-strike/three-strikeout half-inning. He was acquired by the Colorado Rockies in the 1993 expansion draft, but after compiling an 0–4 record with an 8.50 ERA, he was dealt to the San Diego Padres at the end of the season.
Despite injuries to his shoulder, elbow and back, Ashby saw the greatest success of his career with the Padres. His most productive season came in 1998, when he helped the Padres reach the World Series with a 17–9 record and a 3.34 ERA. He was also a member of the 1998 and 1999 National League All-Star team. In eight seasons with the Padres, Ashby compiled a 70–62 record with a 3.59 ERA.
Prior to the 2000 season, the Padres dealt him to the Phillies, the team with whom his career began. Ashby had been touted as a potential ace for the struggling Phillies pitching staff. However, he pitched poorly, going 4–7 with a 5.68 ERA. He was sent to the Atlanta Braves midseason, where he helped the team reach the playoffs with an 8–6 record and a 4.13 ERA.
Ashby spent the next three years with the Los Angeles Dodgers, going 14–23 while posting a 4.31 ERA. At the end of 2003, he underwent Tommy John surgery. He made a brief two game return stint as a reliever with San Diego in 2004 and was signed by the team before the 2006 season, but retired.
In a 14-season career, Ashby posted a 98–110 record with 1173 strikeouts and a 4.12 ERA in 1810 innings pitched.
Since 2013, Ashby has done work as a TV Analyst for Fox Sports San Diego on Padres games. He and his family maintain homes in San Diego and Pennsylvania.
Personal life
Ashby married Tracy Tigue on February 6, 1993 and the couple have four daughters. His nephew, Aaron, is also a baseball player and was taken in the 4th round of the 2018 MLB draft by the Milwaukee Brewers.