Former Angel David Fletcher's Pitching Career Just Took a Big Leap Forward

Fletcher's fortunes improved from there. He ended up going five innings, allowing three hits and two runs, walked one and struck out six. He went viral for striking out Jackson Holliday, baseball's number-1 prospect, on the knuckler:

All told, Fletcher threw 51 knuckleballs out of 72 pitches total, averaging 64.1 mph on the pitch and generating 10 misses on 27 swings.

Fletcher was a longtime fixture in the Angels' starting lineup. He signed a five-year, $26 million extension in 2021 that included two option years in 2026 and 2027 worth $8 million and $8.5 million, respectively. He was dealt to the Braves in a Dec. 2023 deal alongside catcher Max Stassi that sent first baseman Evan White and left-handed pitcher Tyler Thomas in the other direction.

As an infielder, Fletcher made five appearances with Atlanta this season, spending most of the season in Triple-A, batting .248 over 37 games. Meanwhile, he didn't give up a run in his first two pitching appearances out of the bullpen.

While the story is fun on the field, Fletcher has also been the subject of off-the-field drama. According to Tisha Thompson of ESPN, Fletcher and a friend of his both bet on sports with the Southern California bookmaker who took wagers from Shohei Ohtani's longtime interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, according to multiple sources that detailed the activities.

Fletcher bet on several sports but not baseball, ESPN's sources said. He has been allowed to play while MLB investigates the matter.