Dana Eveland's journey through Major League Baseball (MLB) is a testament to the life of a journeyman pitcher who experienced the highs and lows of professional sports. Born on October 29, 1983, in Olympia, Washington, Eveland attended Palmdale High School in California before playing college baseball at Hill College in Texas. His talent on the mound caught the attention of MLB scouts, leading to his selection by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 16th round of the 2002 MLB Draft.
Eveland made his MLB debut with the Brewers on July 16, 2005. During his time with Milwaukee, he showed promise as a left-handed pitcher, but struggled with consistency. Over two seasons, he appeared in 33 games, primarily as a reliever, and posted a 5.93 ERA. In December 2006, Eveland was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks as part of a six-player deal. His stint with the Diamondbacks was brief, as he spent most of the 2007 season in the minors, appearing in only five games for Arizona.
In December 2007, Eveland was traded again, this time to the Oakland Athletics. The 2008 season with Oakland proved to be one of his better years in the majors. Eveland started 29 games, achieving a 9-9 record with a 4.34 ERA. His performance helped solidify his role as a starting pitcher, but the following season saw a decline in his effectiveness. In 2009, he split time between the majors and minors, finishing with a 7.16 ERA in 13 MLB appearances.
Eveland's career continued with several more team changes. In February 2010, he was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays, where he pitched in nine games before being designated for assignment. The Pittsburgh Pirates claimed him off waivers in June 2010, but he only made three appearances for them. The following year, Eveland signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He spent most of the 2011 season with their Triple-A affiliate, the Albuquerque Isotopes, where he excelled with a 12-8 record and a 4.38 ERA. His performance earned him a late-season call-up to the Dodgers, where he made five starts and posted a 3-2 record with a 3.03 ERA.
In 2012, Eveland took his talents overseas, signing with the Hanwha Eagles of the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO). His time in Korea was short-lived, and he returned to the United States in 2013, signing a minor league deal with the Baltimore Orioles. Eveland pitched in 14 games for the Orioles that year, primarily as a reliever, before being designated for assignment.
The latter part of Eveland's career saw him continue to move between teams. In 2014, he signed with the New York Mets and found some success as a reliever, posting a 2.63 ERA in 30 appearances. The following year, he joined the Boston Red Sox but was released before the season began. Eveland then signed with the Atlanta Braves, where he pitched in 10 games before being released in June 2015.
Eveland's final MLB appearances came in 2016 with the Tampa Bay Rays. He pitched in 33 games, all in relief, and recorded a 9.00 ERA. After the season, Eveland became a free agent and did not return to the major leagues.
Throughout his career, Dana Eveland played for eight different MLB teams, as well as a stint in the KBO.
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