Texas Rangers relief pitcher Jake Diekman will be presented with the Hutch Award at Safeco Field on January 24, 2018.
Texas Rangers relief pitcher Jake Diekman is the winner of the Hutch Award, given annually to the MLB player who “best exemplifies the fighting spirit and competitive desire of the legendary leader, Fred Hutchinson.” Diekman has pitched in the major leagues since 2012. That was the year he made his big league debut with the Philadelphia Phillies after five years in the minor leagues.
When he was 10 years old, Diekman was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. He played baseball, basketball and golf while growing up in Wymore, Nebraska. For the most part, his symptoms subsided during this time and he excelled at sports. After high school, he pitched for one season at Doane University, then transferred to Cloud County Community College in Concordia, Kansas. He was offered a full scholarship to Nebraska, but instead chose to sign with the Phillies when they drafted him in the 30th round of the 2007 June Amateur Draft.
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Diekman worked his way up the ladder through the minor leagues, first as a starting pitcher, then transitioning to a relief pitcher role. He made the major leagues in 2012 and established himself as a hard-throwing lefty out of the bullpen. He pitched 65.7 innings with a 3.15 ERA during his first two seasons.
In 2014, Diekman had a flare up of his ulcerative colitis that caused him to lose 20 pounds in just two weeks. This experience led to Diekman embracing the mantra “Gut It Out.” Despite the flare-up and the weight loss, he continued to post good strikeout totals in the big leagues.
At the trade deadline during the 2015 season, Diekman was dealt by the Phillies to the Rangers as part of the deal that brought Cole Hamels to Texas. The next season he had 26 holds, which is the third-most in team history. In his six-year career, he’s pitched 258.7 innings, with 317 strikeouts and a 3.55 career ERA.
During Thanksgiving in 2016, Diekman had a significant flare-up that led to doctors recommending a series of surgical procedures. He had his colon removed and was limited to just 10.7 innings during the 2017 season while going through three surgeries to replace his colon. After getting back on the mound in September, Diekman was interviewed about his ongoing battle with ulcerative colitis. He acknowledged that “some days are definitely harder than others, but you just push through.”
Using his platform as a major league pitcher, Diekman created the “Gut It Out” Foundation with his fiancée Amanda Soltero. He’s been a vocal supporter in the cause to raise funds and awareness for the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America. Over the last two seasons, he’s hosted children affected by Crohn’s disease and colitis at baseball games in Philadelphia and Texas. He always makes sure to meet with each child individually.
Diekman will receive the Hutch Award at the 2018 Hutch Award Luncheon at Safeco Field on January 24, 2018. The keynote guest is former MLB pitcher and Hall of Famer Randy Johnson. Diekman is the first Texas Rangers player to earn this award. The other seven MLB players who were Hutch Award nominees are Tucker Barnhart, Brock Holt, Lance McCullers, Jr., Anthony Rizzo, Travis Shaw, Giancarlo Stanton, and Jameson Taillon.
The Hutch Award is named in honor of Fred Hutchinson, who both played and managed in the major leagues. Hutchinson grew up in Seattle, Washington, and was a fixture on the baseball diamonds around town. As a 19-year-old in 1938, “Hutch” went 25-7 with the Seattle Rainiers of the Pacific Coast League. That got the notice of the Detroit Tigers.
Your 2017 #HutchAward winner is... @JakeDiekman of the @Rangers! Jake's battled ulcerative colitis since childhood and is an inspiration and advocate for @CrohnsColitisFn. Join us and keynote guest, HOF Randy Johnson, for the Hutch Award luncheon Jan 24. https://t.co/IuPc5bY3Nu pic.twitter.com/SfYZcJJv4N
— Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center (@fredhutch) December 9, 2017
Hutchinson pitched for the Tigers from 1939 to 1953, but missed four years while serving in the military during World War II. His best stretch of play was the five years after he returned from the war, when he was 77-47 with a 3.50 ERA in 1068 innings. As his playing career wound down, he took on the role of player-manager, which he held for two years before retiring as a player. He then managed the Tigers for one final year in 1954.
After playing and managing in Detroit, Hutchinson managed the Cardinals for parts of three seasons and the Cincinnati Reds for seven seasons. He was 830-827 overall as a manager and won the 1961 NL pennant with the Reds. They lost in the World Series to the New York Yankees.
In December of 1963, Hutchinson was diagnosed with lung cancer. His brother acknowledged that Hutch was a chain smoker, often smoking up to four packs a day. He started treatment in February, but still made it to spring training in March. He gutted through that season as best he could, but it was a rough go. He had to be hospitalized in late July, but returned to the dugout about a week later. This final stint in the dugout lasted just nine days before he finally hung up his spikes.
He died in November of 1964. Sport magazine posthumously named him “Man of the Year” in honor of his courage in battling cancer. The Reds retired his number. The Hutch Award was created the following year by Pittsburgh Pirates broadcaster Bob Prince, Chicago sportswriter Jim Enright, and the sports editor of the Dayton Journal Herald, Ritter Collett.