Jason Hammel
A durable and adaptable right-hander who carved out a 13-year MLB career as a reliable innings-eater for six different clubs.
Born 1982 (age 44)·American baseball player·Birthday: September 2·Millennials
Biography
Jason Hammel didn't blaze onto the scene as a can't-miss prospect; he built his career through persistence and adaptation. Drafted by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, he learned the ropes in the brutal AL East before a trade to Colorado forced him to master pitching in the league's most hitter-friendly environment. It was a testament to his resilience. His career found a steady groove with the Baltimore Orioles, where he became a key part of a resurgent rotation, even throwing the first no-hitter at Camden Yards in over two decades. Hammel's journey peaked with a late-career renaissance on the Chicago Cubs' historic 2016 World Series team, contributing vital regular-season innings. He was the definition of a professional journeyman, a pitcher whose value lay in his consistency, his willingness to reinvent his pitch mix, and his ability to take the ball every fifth day for over a decade.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Jason was born in 1982, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Jason Was Born
The biggest hits of 1982
#1 Movie
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
Best Picture
Gandhi
#1 TV Show
Dallas
Jason's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1982Born
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1987Started school
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1995Became a teenager
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1998Could drive
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2000Could vote
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2003Turned 21
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2012Turned 30
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2022Turned 40
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 44 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Pitched the first no-hitter at Camden Yards in 23 years for the Baltimore Orioles in 2012.
- Was a member of the 2016 Chicago Cubs team that won the World Series, ending a 108-year championship drought.
- Recorded a career-best 3.43 ERA over 176.1 innings for the Cubs in the 2014 season.
- Made 30 or more starts in a season four times during his 13-year Major League career.
Did You Know?
He was originally drafted by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the 10th round of the 2002 MLB draft.
In 2015, he hit his first and only major league home run while playing for the Cubs.
He underwent knee surgery in 2013 to remove a loose body, an injury he initially thought was just stiffness.
After retirement, he launched a podcast called 'The Unnamed Baseball Podcast' with former teammate Dallas Braden.
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