{{short description|American baseball player (born 1974)}} {{Use American English|date=February 2026}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}} {{Infobox baseball biography| image=Glendon Rusch.jpg |team=Glacier Range Riders |caption=Rusch with the San Diego Padres| name=Glendon Rusch| position=Pitcher / Coach| bats=Left| throws=Left| birth_date={{Birth date and age|1974|11|7}}| birth_place=Seattle, Washington, U.S.| debutleague = MLB| debutdate=April 6| debutyear=1997| debutteam=Kansas City Royals |finalleague = MLB| finaldate=May 13| finalyear=2009| finalteam=Colorado Rockies| statleague = MLB| stat1label=Win–loss record| stat1value=67–99| stat2label=Earned run average| stat2value=5.04| stat3label=Strikeouts| stat3value=1,088| teams= *Kansas City Royals ({{Baseball year|1997}}–{{Baseball year|1999}}) *New York Mets ({{Baseball year|1999}}–{{Baseball year|2001}}) *Milwaukee Brewers ({{Baseball year|2002}}–{{Baseball year|2003}}) *Chicago Cubs ({{Baseball year|2004}}–{{Baseball year|2006}}) *San Diego Padres ({{Baseball year|2008}}) *Colorado Rockies ({{Baseball year|2008}}–{{Baseball year|2009}}) }} '''Glendon James Rusch''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|r|ʌ|ʃ}}; born November 7, 1974) is an American professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball for the Kansas City Royals, New York Mets, Milwaukee Brewers, Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres and Colorado Rockies from 1997 to 2009.

==Early life== Rusch played baseball at Shorecrest High School in Seattle, Washington. As a senior, he had a 0.79 earned run average (ERA) and struck out 134 batters while walking 15. He committed to play college baseball for the Washington Huskies. Rusch was selected out of high school by the Kansas City Royals in the 17th round of the 1993 MLB draft and chose to sign.<ref name="huskies">{{cite news|last1=Yoshida|first1=Victor|last2=Wittenmyer|first2=Gordon|last3=Allen|first3=Percy|title=Rusch Joins Royals To Improve Pitching|url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19930609/1705567/rusch-joins-royals-to-improve-pitching|access-date=14 January 2018|work=Seattle Times|date=June 9, 1993}}</ref>

==Baseball career== Rusch made his major league debut in 1997. Near the end of the 1999 season, he was traded to the New York Mets, and in 2002 he was traded along with Lenny Harris to the Milwaukee Brewers for four players, including Jeromy Burnitz in a three-team deal that also involved the Colorado Rockies.<ref>{{cite web |date=January 21, 2002 |title=Burnitz, Rusch and Zeile among 11 players moved |url=http://www.espn.com/mlb/news/2002/0121/1315217.html |access-date=January 4, 2021 |website=ESPN.com |agency=Associated Press}}</ref>

In 2002, Rusch tied for the National League in losses with 16. In 2004, he signed with the Chicago Cubs and had arguably his finest year as he recorded a career-low 3.47 ERA and 1.23 WHIP and had a 6–2 record, the first winning record of his career.

In September of {{Baseball year|2006}}, Rusch was diagnosed with a life-threatening blood clot in his lung and missed the rest of the 2006 season.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Muskat |first=Carrie |date=2007-01-25 |title=Cubs part ways with Rusch |url=http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com//news/article.jsp?ymd=20070125&content_id=1786350&vkey=news_chc&fext=.jsp&c_id=chc |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120205222643/http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com//news/article.jsp?ymd=20070125&content_id=1786350&vkey=news_chc&fext=.jsp&c_id=chc |archive-date=2012-02-05 |website=MLB.com}} </ref> On January 25, 2007, the Cubs released the left-hander. He had one year left on his contract.<ref name=":0" />

On October 31, 2007, Rusch announced that he was officially a free agent and would attempt a comeback for the {{Baseball year|2008}} season. He threw a bullpen session for interested teams on November 2<ref>{{Cite web |date=2007-10-30 |title=Glendon Rusch |url=http://www.proballfirm.com/new10-30-07.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080111232742/http://www.proballfirm.com/new10-30-07.htm |archive-date=2008-01-11 |website=West Coast Sports Management}}</ref> and on December 14, signed a minor league contract with the San Diego Padres. On March 26, 2008, the Padres purchased his contract and added him to the major league roster. On May 15, Rusch turned down an assignment to Triple-A, and became a free agent.

On May 16, 2008, he signed a minor league contract with the Colorado Rockies. On May 31, the Rockies purchased his contract and added him to the active roster.

On January 14, 2009, Rusch signed a one-year, $750,000 minor-league deal.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Renck |first=Troy E. |date=2008-12-18 |title=Rockies sign pitcher Rusch to one-year deal |url=https://www.denverpost.com/2008/12/18/rockies-sign-pitcher-rusch-to-one-year-deal/ |access-date=2024-10-19 |website=The Denver Post |language=en-US}}</ref> He made the team out of spring training. On May 15, Rusch was designated for assignment.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Glendon Rusch Stats, Age, Position, Height, Weight, Fantasy & News |url=https://www.mlb.com/player/glendon-rusch-121556 |access-date=2024-10-19 |website=MLB.com |language=en}}</ref>

==Coaching career==

In January 2015, Rusch was named pitching coach for the San Diego Padres Class A – Advanced team Lake Elsinore Storm, of the California League.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lin |first=Dennis |date=2015-01-15 |title=Rusch to be named Storm pitching coach |url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2015/01/15/rusch-to-be-named-storm-pitching-coach/ |access-date=2024-10-19 |website=San Diego Union-Tribune |language=en-US}}</ref>

In December 2024, Rusch was named pitching coach for the Glacier Range Riders, an independent baseball team of the Pioneer League in Kalispell, Montana, under manager Todd Pratt. <ref>{{Cite web |last=|first=|date=2024-12-03 |title=Glendon Rusch Announced as New Pitching Coach|url=https://glacierrangeriders2025.prestosports.com/sports/bsb/2025/releases/20241203kgcfwq |access-date=2026-02-08 |website=Glacier Range Riders |language=en-US}}</ref>

==References== <references/>

==External links== {{Baseballstats|mlb=121556 |espn=3603|br=r/ruschgl01|fangraphs=707}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rusch, Glendon}} Category:1974 births Category:Living people Category:Baseball players from Washington (state) Category:Major League Baseball pitchers Category:Omaha Royals players Category:Indianapolis Indians players Category:Iowa Cubs players Category:Kansas City Royals players Category:New York Mets players Category:Milwaukee Brewers players Category:Chicago Cubs players Category:San Diego Padres players Category:Colorado Springs Sky Sox players Category:Colorado Rockies players Category:Rockford Royals players Category:Gulf Coast Royals players Category:Wilmington Blue Rocks players Category:Omaha Golden Spikes players