Jason Grilli
A fiery relief pitcher who authored one of baseball's great career comebacks, becoming an All-Star closer in his late thirties.
Born 1976 (age 50)·American baseball player·Birthday: November 11·Generation X
Biography
Jason Grilli's baseball journey is a testament to resilience. Drafted fourth overall in 1997, he carried the weight of 'can't-miss' prospect status, but his early career as a starter was derailed by injuries and inconsistency. He became a journeyman, bouncing through seven organizations and even pitching in Italy. His career pivot came when he embraced the bullpen. After Tommy John surgery at 33, many wrote him off, but Grilli reinvented himself as a power reliever with the Pittsburgh Pirates. In 2013, at age 36, he exploded as the team's closer, making his first All-Star team and leading the National League in saves at the break. That season, he was the emotional engine of a Pirates team that ended a 20-year playoff drought. Grilli's late-career peak, marked by his signature fist-pumps and intensity, made him a fan favorite and a powerful example of baseball perseverance.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Jason was born in 1976, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Jason Was Born
The biggest hits of 1976
#1 Movie
Rocky
Best Picture
Rocky
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Jason's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1976Born
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1981Started school
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1989Became a teenager
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1992Could drive
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1994Could vote
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
1997Turned 21
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2006Turned 30
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 40
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 50
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Selected as a National League All-Star in 2013 as the Pittsburgh Pirates' closer.
- Led the National League in saves at the 2013 All-Star break with 30.
- Played a key role in the 2013 Pirates team that broke a 20-year postseason drought.
- Pitched for 15 seasons across 9 different MLB teams.
Did You Know?
His father, Steve Grilli, also pitched in Major League Baseball.
He was traded from the San Francisco Giants to the Florida Marlins in a deal for Livan Hernandez.
He recorded the final out for Italy in its stunning victory over Mexico in the 2013 World Baseball Classic.
“They told me I was done, but my arm still had one hell of a fastball left.”
