Career highlights (through 2012)

• Drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 14th round of the 2008 amateur draft (436th pick overall)
• In his MLB debut with the Philadelphia Phillies — a 3-inning appearance against the Washington Nationals — Schwimer struck out four batters and walked none while giving up two hits and one earned run (8/21/2011)

2012 highlights

• Showed improvement versus his rookie year, earning a 4.46 ERA (versus 5.02 in 2011), 1.34 hits/walks per inning (vs. 1.54), and giving up 0.8 HRs per 9 innings (vs. 1.3 HRs)
• After the season’s end, was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays 

2011 highlights

• After spending most of the season in the minors, Schwimer went 1-and-1 with a 5.02 ERA for the Philadelphia Phillies, striking out an average of 10 batters per 9 innings pitched
• Was named Minor-League Reliever of the Year by Jewish Baseball News

On being Jewish

• “I take pride in my Jewfro.” (Jewish Exponent, Philadelphia, Penn.; September 27, 2011)
• “Schwimer attended Hebrew School for two years at Beth El Hebrew Congregation in Alexandria, Va., a Reform synagogue where he became a Bar Mitzvah, an event that he describes as a ‘really good time with all my friends and family.’ A prolific athlete — he played baseball, basketball and football throughout school — Schwimer was recruited as a teenager to play basketball in the Maccabi Games by his friend Ross Condon, another Jewish area star who played for the Villanova Wildcats before becoming the current director of basketball operations for Penn State’s Nittany Lions.” (Jewish Exponent, Philadelphia, Penn.; September 27, 2011)
• “With the High Holidays coinciding once again with the playoffs, Schwimer momentarily found himself pondering that age-old baseball question, at least since the days of Sandy Koufax, the left-handed Dodgers pitcher who sat out the first game of the 1965 World Series because it fell on Yom Kippur: Would you play on the holiest day of the Jewish year? Acknowledging that his first priority was ‘trying to make the playoff roster,’ he said he’s ‘not as devout as Koufax was’ and would pitch if he’s needed. At least this year, he won’t be forced to make such a choice. Of his holiday plans, he said: ‘I don’t have full plans yet, but I’m definitely going to attend a service or do something for the holidays.’  (Jewish Exponent, Philadelphia, Penn.; September 27, 2011)

For more information

• Baseball-Reference page
• Jewish Baseball Museum bio
• Baseball cards

Career pitching