While still in the Minors, Ricky Nolasco arrived in Florida after a 2005 trade with the Cubs. A right-hander whose value lay in a tireless arm rather than flashy, top-of-the-rotation results, he rarely operated as a definitive ace but became a symbol of durability for a franchise often defined by rapid turnover.
In 2006, Nolasco demonstrated his readiness by winning 11 games, anchoring a young staff that famously featured four rookie starters with double-digit wins. After an injury-shortened 2007, he returned to the mound in 2008 with his most dominant statistical campaign, racking up 15 wins and a then-franchise record 186 strikeouts.
Between 2008 and 2012, he consistently won at least 10 games in five seasons. Despite giving up many hits and a high ERA, he was efficient by avoiding walks, ending with a 3.51 strikeout-to-walk ratio, one of the highest in franchise history. During the 2013 season, he was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers and departed as the franchise’s absolute leader in nearly every major longevity category, a legacy of service that eclipsed the records of more famous names like Dontrelle Willis.
Nolasco compiled an 81-72 record, a 4.44 ERA, and 1,001 strikeouts.
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