By Brian Kopycinski
When Adam Liberatore made his major league debut for the Los Angeles Dodgers on April 15, 2015, it marked the realization of a lifelong dream years in the making. Liberatore retired the first three batters he faced, delivering a perfect ninth inning to close out the Dodgers’ 7–3 victory over the Colorado Rockies.
In a matter of minutes, he had arrived. Liberatore was now part of a select fraternity that included the likes of Don Drysdale, Sandy Koufax, and Don Newcombe. A dream shared by so many had finally become reality, Liberatore was officially a Los Angeles Dodger, a member of one of baseball’s most storied franchises. Over the next few seasons, he established himself in the game he loved, culminating in a memorable moment in Dodgers history in 2018.
After three years at Quigley Catholic, Liberatore transferred to nearby Blackhawk, where he lettered in both baseball and soccer. An outfielder and pitcher, he starred on the diamond for the Cougars, earning WPIAL All-Star honors and first-team All-Section recognition as a senior. Liberatore then earned a scholarship to Tennessee Tech in the Ohio Valley Conference. The left-handed starter enjoyed a notable collegiate career, including an impressive stint in the Valley Baseball League with the Waynesboro Generals. That summer, he held batters to a league-best .170 average while posting a 6–1 record, earning Pitcher of the Year honors.
In 2009, Liberatore went 2–0 with a 2.00 ERA in three starts before an elbow injury ended his season prematurely, leading to Tommy John surgery. Prior to the injury, he shared OVC Pitcher of the Week honors following a dominant performance against Marshall on February 27.
Returning as a redshirt senior in 2010, Liberatore recorded 74 strikeouts in 74.2 innings, helping the Golden Eagles capture a regular-season title. He was later selected by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 21st round, 641st overall, of the June Amateur Draft. Liberatore began his professional career that summer with the Hudson Valley Renegades of the New York-Penn League. Converted to a relief pitcher, he impressed out of the bullpen, posting a 2–1 record with a 2.63 ERA in 27.1 innings.
Liberatore spent 2011 in High-A with the Charlotte Stone Crabs and capped the year with a strong showing in the Arizona Fall League for the Surprise Saguaros. He reached Triple-A Durham in 2012, where he posted an elite 1.29 ERA in 21.0 innings. The 2013 season was split between Montgomery and Durham, and he also pitched for Estrellas in the Dominican Winter League that offseason.
In 2014, Liberatore was invited to major league camp and continued to dominate at Durham, posting a 6–1 record with a 1.66 ERA in 65.0 innings. For his efforts, he was named the Rays’ Minor League Reliever of the Year.
That fall, he was traded to Los Angeles along with reliever Joel Peralta in exchange for pitchers José Domínguez and Greg Harris. After beginning the season in Triple-A Oklahoma City, Liberatore was eventually called up to make his long-awaited debut. The Dodgers once again proved to be a strong team, winning the NL West with a 92–70 record. Liberatore finished his rookie campaign with a 2–2 record and a 4.25 ERA in 29.2 innings.
In 2016, he set a Dodgers franchise record with 28 consecutive scoreless appearances, breaking John Candelaria’s previous mark of 23 set in 1991, a record that still stands today. His ERA improved to 3.38 as Los Angeles again won the division, though the team fell to the eventual champion Chicago Cubs in the NLCS.
The 2017 season proved to be a setback. Liberatore was optioned to Oklahoma City to begin the year and made just four appearances at the major league level before a series of injuries, including groin and forearm issues, cut his season short.
Heading into 2018, Liberatore was still working to solidify his place on the roster. While he had been dominant in the minors and continued to improve at the major league level, the Dodgers maintained a deep and competitive bullpen, headlined by closer Kenley Jansen.
After splitting a four-game road series against the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Dodgers traveled to Monterrey to face the San Diego Padres in the Mexico Series. With Dodgers legend Fernando Valenzuela throwing out the ceremonial first pitch, the event marked MLB’s return to the country after a 19-year absence. Rookie Walker Buehler started for Los Angeles and delivered six no-hit innings with eight strikeouts.
Holding the lead into the ninth inning, thanks to home runs from Chris Taylor and Enrique Hernández, along with strong relief outings from Tony Cingrani and Yimi García, all eyes turned to Liberatore as he took the mound to face Eric Hosmer.
On May 4 at Estadio de Béisbol Monterrey, Liberatore retired Hosmer, Christian Villanueva, and Franchy Cordero in order, completing the Dodgers’ combined no-hitter, the first and only such performance in franchise history to this day. In that moment, on an international stage, Liberatore etched his name into baseball lore, the high point of his career.
He continued to pitch effectively that season, posting a 2–1 record with a 2.77 ERA in 13.0 innings. Despite this, Liberatore was designated for assignment on August 31 and later released on September 5. He was not included on the Dodgers’ playoff roster, as the team ultimately fell to the Boston Red Sox in the World Series.
Following the 2018 season, Liberatore stepped away from professional baseball, not signing with another organization. In 118 career games, he finished with a 6–5 record, a 3.55 ERA, a 111 ERA+, and 93 strikeouts in 88.2 innings pitched, totaling 1.0 bWAR.
While those numbers may not fully capture his contributions, Adam Liberatore made history in a Dodgers uniform. He remains one of the more accomplished pitchers to come out of Western Pennsylvania. In 2025, he was inducted into the Beaver County Sports Hall of Fame.
Today, Liberatore runs the Liberatore Baseball Club in the Pittsburgh area, hosting camps and clinics while coaching travel teams to help develop the next generation of players. His legacy as a major leaguer endures, and his continued commitment to the community has only strengthened his influence.