page_title: Anthony Swarzak
section_title: Minnesota Twins
hierarchical_section_title: Anthony Swarzak / Professional career / Minnesota Twins
caption_attribution_description: Anthony Swarzak
context_page_description: Anthony Ray Swarzak is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball for the Minnesota Twins, Cleveland Indians, New York Yankees, Chicago White Sox, Milwaukee Brewers, New York Mets, Seattle Mariners, and Atlanta Braves and for the Doosan Bears of the KBO League.
context_section_description: The Minnesota Twins selected Swarzak in the second round, with the 61st overall selection, in the 2004 Major League Baseball draft. Swarzak was #15 on the Baseball America Top Gulf Coast League Prospects list in 2004. He was Midwest League Pitcher of the Week (from May 16–22, 2005), the Twins' Pitcher of the Month (May 2005), Midwest League All-Star, and #8 on the Baseball America Top Midwest League Prospects list in 2005. In 2006, he was Florida State League Pitcher of the Week (from August 7–14, 2006) and a FSL Post-Season All-Star.
  Swarzak was one of the top rated prospects in the Twins' farm system before a fifty-game suspension for violation of Minor League drug policy on April 20, 2007 sidetracked his career. He tested positive for marijuana. After having started the season with the Double A New Britain Rock Cats, upon his reinstatement from the restricted list on June 11, he was reassigned to the Class A Advanced Fort Myers Miracle. After three games with Fort Myers, he returned to New Britain.
  He began the 2008 season with the Rock Cats, and went 3–8 with a 5.67 earned run average. After a promotion to Triple-A, his record actually improved to 5–0 with a 1.80 ERA in seven starts. He was added to the Twins' 40 man roster, and spent his first spring with the Twins in 2009. Following Spring training, he was reassigned to Rochester. Swarzak suffered from a lack of run support in Rochester to start the season. Despite an ERA of 1.59 in his first three starts, his record stood at 0–3.
  His record improved to 3–4 with a 2.25 ERA when he got the call to the majors on May 20. He filled in the starting rotation for the injured left-handed starter Glen Perkins.
  Swarzak made his major league debut for the Twins on May 23, 2009 in a home game against the Milwaukee Brewers. He pitched seven shutout innings, giving up five hits and two walks while striking out three. The Twins won the game 6–2, earning Swarzak his first major league win.
  After a line drive broke his foot, Swarzak's 2010 season was statistically awful as he spent the whole year in the minors. His ERA finished at 6.21 in AAA Rochester.
  Swarzak rebounded in 2011, contributing both in long relief and in spot starts for the Twins. He pitched a total of 102 innings, going 4–7 in 27 games.
  In 2012, Swarzak started five games for the Twins while making 39 appearances out of the bullpen, pitching to a collective 96 innings of work.
  Swarzak began 2013 on the disabled list with fractured left ribs he suffered while "wrestling around a little bit." He was activated on April 7 and used primarily as a long reliever for the rest of the season. In 48 games, he went 3–2 with a 2.91 ERA, striking out 69 in 96 innings.
  On November 25, 2014 the Twins announced that Swarzak had been outrighted off the 40-man roster and elected free agency.
caption: Swarzak pitching for the Minnesota Twins in 2012
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