Nelson Figueroa, a right-handed pitcher, embarked on his Major League Baseball journey with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Drafted in the 30th round of the 1995 MLB Draft, he made his debut on June 3, 2000. His time with the Diamondbacks was brief, as he was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies later that year. With the Phillies, Figueroa found more opportunities to showcase his skills on the mound, appearing in 19 games during the 2001 season.
In 2002, Figueroa joined the Milwaukee Brewers, where he continued to develop his craft. His tenure with the Brewers was short-lived, and he soon found himself with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2003. During his time with the Pirates, Figueroa pitched in 22 games, starting 13 of them. His performance was steady, but he was unable to secure a long-term position with the team.
Figueroa's career took an international turn in 2004 when he signed with the New York Mets but was released before the season began. He then ventured overseas to pitch for the Uni-President Lions in Taiwan's Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL). His stint in Taiwan was successful, and he returned to the United States in 2005, signing a minor league contract with the Washington Nationals. However, he did not make an appearance for the Nationals in the major leagues.
In 2006, Figueroa returned to the Mets organization, though he spent the majority of his time in the minor leagues. He continued to persevere, and in 2008, he finally made his return to the major leagues with the Mets. During the 2008 season, he pitched in 16 games, starting four of them. His performance was a testament to his persistence and ability to adapt.
The following year, Figueroa remained with the Mets and appeared in 16 games, starting 10. He recorded a respectable 4.09 ERA over 70.1 innings pitched. Despite his efforts, he was released by the Mets in 2010. Shortly thereafter, he was claimed off waivers by the Houston Astros. With the Astros, Figueroa found a more stable role, pitching in 31 games and starting 10. He posted a 3.22 ERA, which was one of the best of his career.
In 2011, Figueroa began the season with the Astros but struggled to maintain his form. After being designated for assignment, he was released and subsequently signed a minor league contract with the New York Yankees. However, he did not make an appearance for the Yankees in the major leagues.
Throughout his career, Figueroa was known for his ability to adapt to various roles, whether as a starter or reliever.
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