Phil Bickford

BIOGRAPHY

Phil Bickford was born July 10, 1995, in Ventura, California. He is a pitcher in the MLB.

Bickford attended Oaks Christian School in Westlake Village, California. He was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays 10th overall in the 2013 Major League Baseball Draft but did not sign with the team. He attended California State University, Fullerton for his freshman year. After his freshman season in 2014, he played collegiate summer baseball for the Yarmouth–Dennis Red Sox of the Cape Cod Baseball League, where he posted a 1.63 earned run average with 44 strikeouts over 27.2 innings pitched, helped lead the Red Sox to the league championship, and was named the league's Outstanding Pro Prospect. Prior to his sophomore year, he transferred to the College of Southern Nevada in order to be eligible for the 2015 draft. He was selected by the San Francisco Giants as the 18th overall pick in that draft.

On August 1, 2016, the Giants traded Bickford and Andrew Susac to the Milwaukee Brewers for Will Smith. Milwaukee assigned him to the Brevard County Manatees where he finished the season. In 23 total games (22 started) between Augusta, San Jose and Brevard County, Bickford posted a 7-7 record and 2.93 ERA as well as striking out 135 batters in 120 combined innings between the three clubs. He pitched only 17 innings in 2017 (with the AZL Brewers) due to a 50 game suspension for testing positive for banned substances and a broken hand. Bickford spent 2018 and 2019 with the Advanced Single-A Carolina Mudcats. Over 21 games in 2018 he carried a 4.60 ERA and turned it into a 2.48 ERA over 20 games in 2019.

On September 1, 2020, Bickford was selected to the major leagues for the first time and made his MLB debut that night.

On May 3, 2021, Bickford was claimed off waivers by the Los Angeles Dodgers. On June 10, Bickford picked up his first career save against the Pittsburgh Pirates. On July 25, Bickford recorded his first career MLB win against the Colorado Rockies. He pitched in 56 games for the Dodgers in 2021, with a 4–2 record and 2.50 ERA.

During the 2022 season, Bickford pitched in 60 games for the Dodgers, with a 2–1 record and 4.72 ERA.

Bickford was traded to the New York Mets at the 2023 trade deadline.