Jeremy Guthrie
Jeremy Guthrie is a former starting pitcher for U.S. Major League Baseball. He is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, sometimes casually called the Mormon Church.
Guthrie was born on April 8, 1979, in Roseburg, Oregon. He grew up in Ashland, Oregon. In high school, he played multiple sports, including baseball, football, and basketball. He was also class valedictorian. He also earned Eagle Scout rank with the Boy Scouts of America. Guthrie attended Brigham Young University and Stanford University, where he was a starting pitcher. He served a two-year mission for the LDS Church to Spain. He passed on an offer by the New York Mets in order to serve his mission.
Guthrie is 6'1" tall and weighs 205 lbs. His 2011-2012 contract status for one year was $5.75 million.
Guthrie spent most of the 2006 pro-ball season with the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons, but was twice called up to the majors to join the Cleveland Indians as a relief pitcher. [1] On January 19, 2007, Guthrie was designated for assignment and was picked up by the Baltimore Orioles. Later that year, Guthrie had become one of the best pitchers in the American League. This put him into consideration for the Rookie of the Year Award.
During the 2008 season, Guthrie emerged as the staff ace of the Baltimore Orioles. Guthrie pitched for Team USA in the 2009 World Baseball Classic.
On January 2012, he was traded to the Colorado Rockies, and then in July, he was traded to the Kansas City Royals. In November of that year, he signed a three-year, $25 million contract with the Royals. In January 2014, the Royals reworked their contract with him by adding a $10 million mutual option for 2016. During the 2014 World Series, Guthrie pitched the Royals to victory in game 3.
On May 25, 2015, Guthrie had the worst start of his career in the game against the New York Yankees. He gave up 9 hits, 11 earned runs, 3 walks. 13 of the 16 batters he faced reached base, and he recorded just 3 outs before being pulled. By August, the Royals had demoted him to the bullpen to make room for Kris Medlen in the rotation. On February 20, 2016, he signed with minor league Texas Rangers. He also signed with the San Diego Padres, the Miami Marlins, and the Washington Nationals (all minor league). After signing with the Acereros de Monclova in May 2017, he announced his retirement on July 31, 2017.
Guthrie lives with his wife, Jenny, and children in Pleasant Grove, Utah. He is an avid believer in living green, bicycles to work and recycles everything possible. [2] He is also an avid fan of fast food and considers Utah Valley the fast food capital of the world.[3]
Guthrie is a shoe aficionado. He has over 400 pairs and is fascinated with their design and marketing. On April 28, 2014, he unveiled Nike Foamposite baseball cleats in the game against the Baltimore Orioles. He would like to play baseball in Japan, the homeland of part of his heritage. When he retires from baseball, he hopes to work for Nike.
Update
Guthrie and his wife, Jenny, began their missionary service as president and companion of the Texas South Mission in July 2018. At the conclusion of their service in 2021, he wrote: “The last 3 years in Houston presented some of my greatest challenges that I have had in my life,” the 41-year-old World Series pitcher noted. “At times the emotional pain felt like too much. I am grateful to have been strengthened through Christ’s sacrifice, also know as His Atonement, to be able to work through the challenges & overcome. The support & encouragement of Jenny, our children, hundreds of missionaries, & too many friends to name, were everything to me. Thank you.”[4]
Sister Jenny Guthrie also gave birth to a baby girl, Lucy, while they were presiding over the mission. Their three other children were living with them in Houston, Texas, as well.
At the April 2019 General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ, Elder Gary E. Stevenson included Guthrie in his talk:
- We know Church members and priesthood holders who have experienced success at the highest levels of professional athletics. There are many good examples, but I can list only a few here for the sake of time. You might recognize some of these athletes: in baseball, Jeremy Guthrie and Bryce Harper; in basketball, Jabari Parker and Jimmer Fredette; in soccer, Ricardo Rojas; in rugby league, William Hopoate; and in football, Taysom Hill and Daniel Sorensen. Each has made significant contributions to his sport.
- While they are extremely successful in their sports, these athletes would be the first to admit they are not perfect athletes or perfect human beings. They work hard to be the best in their sport—and to live the gospel. They get up if they stumble, and they strive to endure to the end.
He later quoted Guthrie as saying: “As a 12-year-old deacon … [I felt] the Spirit testify to me [that] ‘this life is the time . . . to prepare to meet God.’2 The game plan is faith in God unto action [and] repentance through the Savior. . . . The playbook is found in the holy scriptures and through living prophets.”
