Dallas Braden

Dallas Lee Braden was born on August 13, 1983, in Phoenix, Arizona. He played Little League baseball in Stockton, California, and graduated from Stagg High School, where he participated in both baseball and cross country. Braden’s mother passed away from cancer during his senior year, leading him to live with his maternal grandmother. He initially chose not to sign with the Atlanta Braves after being drafted in 2001, opting instead to play college baseball at American River College, where he achieved a 12-4 record over two seasons, including a notable one-hit, 14-strikeout complete game. He later played one season for the Texas Tech Red Raiders before re-entering the draft.

The Oakland Athletics selected Braden in the 24th round of the 2004 MLB draft. He began his professional career with the Class A Short Season Vancouver Canadians, quickly moving through the minor league system to Class A Kane County Cougars and then the Class A-Advanced Stockton Ports and Double-A Midland RockHounds in 2005. That year, he led all A’s minor league pitchers with 15 wins and was honored as the Athletics organization’s Pitcher of the Year. After shoulder surgery in the 2005-06 offseason, he continued his progression, reaching Triple-A Sacramento River Cats before his Major League debut. Braden’s MLB career with the Oakland Athletics spanned from 2007 to 2011, during which he achieved a career highlight by pitching the 19th perfect game in MLB history on Mother’s Day, May 9, 2010, against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Following his playing career, which was cut short due to recurring shoulder injuries that led to his retirement in 2014, Braden transitioned into sports broadcasting. He joined ESPN in 2014 as a “Baseball Tonight” analyst and later moved into the broadcast booth as a color analyst for games, including “Monday Night Baseball.” After his tenure at ESPN, Braden became a field-level analyst and color commentator for NBC Sports California’s A’s broadcasts. He also expanded his reach into podcasting, co-hosting “Starting 9” with Jared Carrabis and “Baseball Is Dead” for DraftKings and Underdog Fantasy, showcasing his deep understanding of baseball and engaging personality.