Jeff Samardzija

Pitcher · Career Stats, Bio & Records (2008-2020)

Jeff Samardzija was a pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 2008 to 2020 for 4 teams, including the Chicago Cubs, a span of 13 seasons. Across 364 career appearances, he went 80-106 with a 4.15 ERA and 1,449 strikeouts. He also batted .126 with 3 home runs. Jeff Samardzija was an All-Star. His career Pitcher PIV — Baseball Data Hub's era-adjusted measure of pitching impact — is 4474.1.

W (Wins):
Games credited to a pitcher whose team took a lead it never surrendered while he was the pitcher of record.
ERA (Earned Run Average):
Earned runs allowed per nine innings pitched: (ER × 9) ÷ IP. The primary measure of pitching effectiveness.
SO (Strikeouts):
For a batter, times retired on a third strike; for a pitcher, batters retired on a third strike.
WHIP (Walks and Hits per Inning Pitched):
Baserunners allowed per inning: (BB + H) ÷ IP. Under 1.00 is elite.

Data updated

W–L 80–106
ERA 4.15
WHIP 1.24
SO 1,449
Pitcher PIV 4474.1
Position
Pitcher
Bats / Throws
R / R
Height / Weight
6'4" / 233 lb
Born
1/23/1985 in Merrillville, IN, USA
MLB Debut
2008-07-25
Last Game
2020-09-25
Awards
All-Star

Full name: Jeffrey Alan Samardzija

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Career Pitching Statistics

Jeff Samardzija — Career Pitching Statistics
W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER HR BB SO ERA Pitcher PIV
80 106 364 241 9 4 1 1645.1 1,555 759 205 491 1,449 4.15 4474.1

Career ERA 4.15 vs. league average 4.13 across their career seasons — near league average.

Season-by-Season Pitching

Pitching Career Arc

Click a stat to plot it across every season.

Jeff Samardzija Stats, Bio & Career Records
Year Team Lg W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER BB SO ERA Lg ERA Pitcher PIV
2008 CHN NL 1 0 26 0 0 0 1 27.2 24 7 15 25 2.28 4.32 (+47%) 879.3
2009 CHN NL 1 3 20 2 0 0 0 34.2 46 29 15 21 7.53 4.32 (-74%) -1363.6
2010 CHN NL 2 2 7 3 0 0 0 19.1 21 18 20 9 8.38 4.08 (-105%) -2016.3
2011 CHN NL 8 4 75 0 0 0 0 88.0 64 29 50 87 2.97 3.94 (+25%) 628.6
2012 CHN NL 9 13 28 28 1 0 0 174.2 157 74 56 180 3.81 4.01 (+5%) 2089.4
2013 CHN NL 8 13 33 33 2 1 0 213.2 210 103 78 214 4.34 3.87 (-12%) 514.1
2014 CHN NL 2 7 17 17 0 0 0 108.0 99 34 31 103 2.83 3.74 (+24%) 1781.4
2014 OAK AL 5 6 16 16 2 0 0 111.2 92 39 12 99 3.14 3.74 (+16%) 1251.5
2015 CHA AL 11 13 32 32 2 2 0 214.0 228 118 49 163 4.96 3.96 (-25%) -1420.8
2016 SFN NL 12 11 32 32 1 0 0 203.1 190 86 54 167 3.81 4.19 (+9%) 1800.9
2017 SFN NL 9 15 32 32 1 1 0 207.2 204 102 32 205 4.42 4.36 (-1%) 4047.7
2018 SFN NL 1 5 10 10 0 0 0 44.2 47 31 26 30 6.25 4.15 (-51%) -1446.5
2019 SFN NL 11 12 32 32 0 0 0 181.1 152 71 49 140 3.52 4.51 (+22%) -372.6
2020 SFN NL 0 2 4 4 0 0 0 16.2 21 18 4 6 9.72 4.45 (-118%) -1899.2
Career · 14 seasons 80 106 364 241 9 4 1 1,645.1 1,555 759 491 1,449 4.15 — 4,474

Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.

Career Batting Statistics

Jeff Samardzija — Career Batting Statistics
G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
372 350 16 44 14 0 3 22 0 7 154 .126 .144 .191 .335 -2,763

Career AVG .126 vs. league average .255 across their career seasons — 50.7% below league average.

Career OBP .144 vs. league average .322 across their career seasons — 55.4% below league average.

Career SLG .191 vs. league average .410 across their career seasons — 53.3% below league average.

Career OPS .335 vs. league average .732 across their career seasons — 54.2% below league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Career Arc

Click a stat to plot it across every season.

Jeff Samardzija Stats, Bio & Career Records
Year Team Lg G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG Lg AVG Lg OBP Lg SLG Lg OPS PIV
2008 CHN NL 26 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 .000 — — — — 0.0
2009 CHN NL 20 5 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 .200 — — — — 0.0
2010 CHN NL 7 4 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 2 2 .250 — — — — 0.0
2011 CHN NL 75 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 .000 — — — — 0.0
2012 CHN NL 31 50 0 5 0 0 0 3 0 3 16 .100 .254 (-61%) .318 (-48%) .405 (-75%) .724 (-63%) -494.3
2013 CHN NL 33 62 4 7 2 0 1 2 0 1 31 .113 .253 (-55%) .317 (-60%) .396 (-51%) .714 (-55%) -545.8
2014 CHN NL 17 34 3 6 3 0 0 3 0 0 10 .176 — — — — 0.0
2014 OAK AL 16 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 — — — — 0.0
2015 CHA AL 32 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 .500 — — — — 0.0
2016 SFN NL 34 64 4 10 5 0 0 9 0 1 28 .156 .255 (-39%) .321 (-49%) .417 (-44%) .738 (-46%) -514.3
2017 SFN NL 35 64 3 6 2 0 1 2 0 0 25 .094 .254 (-63%) .324 (-71%) .425 (-60%) .750 (-65%) -685.6
2018 SFN NL 10 10 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 .100 — — — — 0.0
2019 SFN NL 32 50 1 6 2 0 0 1 0 0 30 .120 .252 (-52%) .322 (-63%) .434 (-63%) .757 (-63%) -523.0
2020 SFN NL 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 — — — — 0.0
Career · 14 seasons 372 350 16 44 14 0 3 22 0 7 154 .126 — — — — -2,763

Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.

Postseason Statistics

Playoff Career Batting

Jeff Samardzija — Playoff Career Batting
G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000

Playoff Batting by Year

Jeff Samardzija — Playoff Batting by Year
Year Round Team G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
2016 NLDS1 SFN 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
2008 NLDS1 CHN 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000

Playoff Career Pitching

Jeff Samardzija — Playoff Career Pitching
W L G GS SV IP H ER BB SO ERA
0 1 2 1 0 3.0 8 5 1 1 15.00

Playoff Pitching by Year

Jeff Samardzija — Playoff Pitching by Year
Year Round Team W L G GS SV IP H ER BB SO ERA
2016 NLDS1 SFN 0 1 1 1 0 2.0 6 4 1 1 18.00
2008 NLDS1 CHN 0 0 1 0 0 1.0 2 1 0 0 9.00

Game Log & Splits

View full game log (736 games) →

Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).

Batting — Home / Away

Jeff Samardzija — Batting — Home / Away
SplitGABRHHRRBIAVG
Home189161924112.149
Away183189720210.106

Pitching — Home / Away

Jeff Samardzija — Pitching — Home / Away
SplitGIPHERBBSOERA
Home182806.07753652517264.08
Away182839.17803942407234.22

Last 10 Games — Batting

Jeff Samardzija — Last 10 Games — Batting
DateTmOppResABRH2B3BHRRBIBBSO
2020-09-25 SFGSDPL 000000000
2020-08-07 SFGLADL 000000000
2020-08-02 SFGTEXL 000000000
2020-07-28 SFGSDPL 000000000
2019-09-25 SFGCOLW 100000000
2019-09-18 SFGBOSW 000000000
2019-09-12 SFGPITL 201000001
2019-09-06 SFGLADW 300000001
2019-09-01 SFGSDPL 200000002
2019-08-27 SFGAZL 100000001

Last 10 Games — Pitching

Jeff Samardzija — Last 10 Games — Pitching
DateTmOppDecIPHRERBBSOHR
2020-09-25 SFGSDP — 3.0333011
2020-08-07 SFGLAD L 4.0765233
2020-08-02 SFGTEX — 5.2755111
2020-07-28 SFGSDP L 4.0455112
2019-09-25 SFGCOL — 6.0500150
2019-09-18 SFGBOS W 6.0211421
2019-09-12 SFGPIT L 6.1844121
2019-09-06 SFGLAD W 6.0533032
2019-09-01 SFGSDP L 5.1966122
2019-08-27 SFGAZ — 5.0311331

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Jeff Samardzija — Career Fielding Totals by Position
Position G GS PO A E DP
P 364 241 105 161 13 10

Season-by-Season Fielding

Jeff Samardzija — Season-by-Season Fielding
Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
2008 CHN P 26 0 3 4 0 0
2009 CHN P 20 2 4 4 1 0
2010 CHN P 7 3 2 1 0 0
2011 CHN P 75 0 2 12 1 1
2012 CHN P 28 28 13 25 2 1
2013 CHN P 33 33 23 16 3 2
2014 CHN P 17 17 15 12 3 1
2014 OAK P 16 16 3 10 0 1
2015 CHA P 32 32 7 14 0 2
2016 SFN P 32 32 7 18 1 1
2017 SFN P 32 32 12 32 1 1
2018 SFN P 10 10 3 3 0 0
2019 SFN P 32 32 8 9 1 0
2020 SFN P 4 4 3 1 0 0

Career Games by Position

Position Diamond

Circle size = games played at each position.

Jeff Samardzija Stats, Bio & Career Records
Position Games
Pitcher 364

Awards & Honors

Jeff Samardzija — Awards & Honors
Year Award Notes
2017 Player of the Week Week of 2017-09-02
2013 Player of the Week Week of 2013-08-25

Salary History

Jeff Samardzija's recorded salaries total $32,180,000 over 6 seasons, 2010 to 2016. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Samardzija's career ran from 2008 to 2020. His seasons after 2016 are not included, and no salary is recorded for 2008, 2009, and 2014.

Jeff Samardzija — Salary History
Year Team League Salary
2016 SFN NL $10,800,000
2015 CHA AL $9,800,000
2013 CHN NL $2,640,000
2012 CHN NL $2,640,000
2011 CHN NL $3,300,000
2010 CHN NL $3,000,000
Total recorded salary (partial) $32,180,000

College History

Jeff Samardzija — College History
School Name City State Years Attended
University of Notre Dame South Bend IN 2004, 2005, 2006

Most Similar Players

Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.

Career Spans

Jeff Samardzija (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.

  1. 98
    Mike Minor
    83-90, 4.25 ERA
  2. 93
    Jose Berrios
    108-82, 4.08 ERA
  3. 92
    Nathan Eovaldi
    113-94, 3.92 ERA
  4. 87
    Carlos Carrasco
    112-105, 4.24 ERA
  5. 86
    Julio Teheran
    81-82, 3.85 ERA
  6. 85
    Michael Wacha
    120-85, 3.83 ERA

Jeff Samardzija: the record in brief

According to the bio, Jeff Samardzija debuted on July 25, 2008 and played a final game on September 25, 2020. Club by club, the record runs the Chicago Cubs (2008 to 2014), the Oakland Athletics (2014), the Chicago White Sox (2015), and the San Francisco Giants (2016 through 2020). Samardzija is listed as a pitcher at 6-foot-4 and 233 pounds. The bio says Samardzija threw and hit right-handed. The recorded birth is January 23, 1985, in Merrillville, IN, USA. On the record, Jeff Samardzija was born Jeffrey Alan Samardzija.

Samardzija pitched in 364 games, starting 241, and finished with a 80-106 record and 4.15 ERA. Samardzija had 1,449 strikeouts. Samardzija's 4.15 ERA was close to the 4.13 league figure for those seasons. The best win total was 12, in 2016. The strikeout high was 214 in 2013. 2019 was Samardzija's sharpest full season, a 3.52 ERA against the league's 4.51. Pitcher PIV, the site's era-adjusted run-prevention measure, totals 4,474.1 for Samardzija's career.

Frequently Asked Questions about Jeff Samardzija

What years did Jeff Samardzija play?
Jeff Samardzija played in Major League Baseball from 2008 to 2020.
Was Jeff Samardzija a pitcher?
Yes. Jeff Samardzija pitched in the major leagues, recording 80 wins and 1449 strikeouts.
How many home runs did Jeff Samardzija hit?
Jeff Samardzija hit 3 career home runs with 44 hits.
What teams did Jeff Samardzija play for?
Jeff Samardzija played for 4 teams: the Chicago Cubs (2008–2014), the Oakland Athletics (2014), the Chicago White Sox (2015), and the San Francisco Giants (2016–2020).
Did Jeff Samardzija win a Cy Young Award?
No. Jeff Samardzija did not win the Cy Young Award.
What awards did Jeff Samardzija win?
Jeff Samardzija was selected to 1 All-Star Game.
What were Jeff Samardzija's career stats?
In 364 games, Jeff Samardzija went 80-106 with a 4.15 ERA, 1,449 strikeouts, 1,645.1 innings pitched, and 1 saves. At the plate he had 44 hits and 3 home runs.
How much did Jeff Samardzija earn in his career?
Jeff Samardzija's recorded salaries total $32,180,000 over 6 seasons, 2010 to 2016. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Samardzija's career ran from 2008 to 2020. His seasons after 2016 are not included, and no salary is recorded for 2008, 2009, and 2014.
What was Jeff Samardzija's salary?
Jeff Samardzija's last recorded salary was $10,800,000, in 2016. His highest recorded salary was $10,800,000, in 2016, and his lowest was $2,640,000, in 2012. The Salary History table lists each season from 2010 to 2016.
What position did Jeff Samardzija play?
Jeff Samardzija played primarily as a pitcher, the position where he appeared in the most games.
How tall was Jeff Samardzija and how much did he weigh?
Jeff Samardzija was listed at 6 feet 4 inches and 233 pounds.
What was Jeff Samardzija's career ERA?
Jeff Samardzija finished with a 4.15 career ERA, going 80-106 with 1,449 strikeouts.
How many strikeouts did Jeff Samardzija have?
Jeff Samardzija recorded 1,449 career strikeouts.
Is Jeff Samardzija in the Hall of Fame?
No. Jeff Samardzija has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.