Starting pitcher Ricardo Pinto of the Tiburones de La Guaira of Venezuela throws the ball in the second inning of a game between Venezuela and Mexico at loanDepot Park as part of Serie del Caribe 2024 on February 5, 2024 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Luis Gutierrez/Norte Photo/Getty Images)
The 2024 Caribbean Series MVP, Venezuelan right-handed pitcher Ricardo Pinto, passed his physical with the Philadelphia Phillies and signed a minor league contract which includes an invite to Major League spring training camp, El Extrabase reported on Friday.
Pinto, 30, was born in Guacara, Venezuela, and has played two seasons in Major League Baseball with the Phillies in 2017 and the Tampa Bay Rays in 2019.
Pinto played with the Tiburones de La Guaira during the 2023-24 Liga Venezolana de Beisbol Profesional regular season, and in 10 appearances and eight starts, he threw 45 innings with a 4.00 ERA and a 1-2 record. He allowed 51 hits, 20 earned runs, two home runs, 16 walks, 33 strikeouts, earned one save and posted a 1.489 WHIP.
Pinto helped Tiburones de La Guaira win their first Caribbean Series championship in Miami at loanDepot Park and started the championship game against the 2023-24 LIDOM champion Tigres del Licey. Heshut their offense down, winning 3-0. In the Caribbean Series, Pinto started two games and posted a 1-0 record with a 0.84 ERA, throwing 10.2 innings, allowing 10 hits, one earned run, three walks, and 14 strikeouts.
Last season, Pinto played in the Liga Mexicana de Beisbol starting out with the Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos. Pinto threw 49.2 innings, posting a 2-3 record in 10 starts with a 5.44 ERA and allowing 54 hits, 30 earned runs, 10 home runs, 14 walks, 41 strikeouts, and a 1.369 WHIP before he was released on June 14.
Pinto signed with the Diablos Rojos del México on June 19 and threw 32.1 innings, posting a 3-2 record with a 3.34 ERA in nine appearances and five starts. He allowed 41 hits, 12 earned runs, one home run, seven walks, 18 strikeouts, and a 1.485 WHIP. The Diablos Rojos del Mexico finished first place with a 55-32 record in the Zona del Sur and lost to the Pericos de Puebla in the second round of the playoffs.
During the 2022 season, Pinto played in the Detroit Tigers organization at Triple-A Toledo, making 20 appearances out of the bullpen and throwing 32.2 innings, posting a 3-1 record and a 3.58 ERA. He allowed 34 hits, 13 earned runs, four home runs, 13 walks, 39 strikeouts, and a 1.439 WHIP before being released on July 3, 2022.
Pinto signed with the Rakuten Monkeys of the Chinese Professional Baseball League in Taiwan on July 28, 2022, and threw 16.1 innings in four appearances and three starts, posting a 6.06 ERA with a 1-2 record. Pinto allowed 24 hits, 11 earned runs, eight walks, nine strikeouts, and a 1.959 WHIP.
Pinto has played five seasons in Mexico, Taiwan, Venezuela and South Korea. In his five seasons overseas, Pinto has posted a 17-25 record with a 5.11 ERA throwing 364.2 innings in 84 appearances and 64 starts allowing 436 hits, 207 earned runs, 37 home runs, 156 walks, 261 strikeouts, and a 1.623 WHIP.
It remains to be determined where Phillies manager Rob Thompson might use Pinto. Pinto, Dylan Covey, Yunior Marte, Conor Brogdoon, and Orion Kerkering are all in contention for long-relief and middle-reliever roles for the Phils during the 2024 season.
The Phillies will play their first game of spring training against the Toronto Blue Jays on Feb. 24 on the road in Dunedin, Fla at TD Ballpark at 1:07 p.m. EST. The Phillies first day of their full-squad workout is on Feb. 19.