Jason Michael Hirsh (born February 20, 1982) is an American former starting pitcher in Major League Baseball.

He spent the next two season in the minors, getting traded to the New York Yankees (whom he never played in the major leagues with) in 2009.

[2] The Astros drafted and signed Hirsh's younger brother Matt (6 ft 5 in; 235 lbs.

[12] Hirsh was only 5' 11" as a freshman in high school, and failed to make the basketball team, whereupon he decided to focus on baseball.

[13] Hirsh attended and played baseball at California Lutheran, where he was a 3-year starter, and flashed a 97 mph (156 km/h) fastball and a mid-80s slider.

[13] In his pro debut, Hirsh went 3–1 for the 2003 Tri-City ValleyCats, with a 1.95 ERA, limiting batters to a .175 average, and striking out 33 hitters in 32+1⁄3 innings of work.

Hirsh said: "The biggest thing I got out of it was the confidence ... [having Astros manager] Phil Garner and Nolan Ryan sit there and tell you that you've got the stuff to be in the big leagues.

"[15]Hirsh began 2006 with the Triple A Round Rock Express, where he mastered a two-seam and four-seam fastball.

[22] He suffered a pinched sciatic nerve in his lower back, and therefore did not pick up a weight until June or July, but he got better through running and extra stretching.

He was rated by Baseball America as having the best breaking pitch in the PCL, and the league's ninth best prospect.

[29] In 2008, Hirsh tried to work back from his rotator cuff problems and rehab his shoulder after May 30 for the Colorado Springs Sky Sox in the Pacific Coast League.

[32] He went 6–7 with a 6.66 ERA in 20 games, 16 of them starts, for Colorado Springs before being traded to the New York Yankees on July 29 for a player to be named later.

[17] After not pitching in 2011 or 2012, Hirsh made one start for the Amarillo Sox of the independent American Association in 2013, allowing three runs in four innings but earning the win.

[17] Hirsh made his major league debut for the Astros on August 12, 2006, allowing four runs in four innings and taking the loss in a 6–3 defeat to the San Diego Padres.

[38] In Hirsh's first start as a Rockie, on April 6, he allowed one run in 6+2⁄3 innings, struck out eight, and walked nobody in a 4–3 victory over San Diego.

[39] On June 10, he allowed one run and threw the only complete game of his career in a 6–1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles.

[41] On July 2, he sprained his right ankle in a game against the Mets, diving back to the third base bag when catcher Paul LoDuca attempted to pick him off.

[16] He was forced to leave the game despite having pitched six shutout innings, and ended up on the disabled list from July 3 until August 1.

[16] His season was abruptly interrupted, however, when Hirsh went on the disabled list again after his right fibula was broken in a game August 7.

Not realizing his leg had been broken on a line drive comebacker hit by the second batter of the game, J. J. Hardy, that caught him in the shin in the first inning, Hirsh went on to throw out Hardy and pitch six innings that day, earning a key win for the club.

[16][42][43] Asked what he would do the next time he faced Hardy, Hirsh joked: "I might put a catcher's shin guard on, just for him.

[49] While on the DL, Hirsh spent a number of weeks in a strengthening program and at extended spring training in Tucson, Arizona, to rebuild his arm strength.

"[51] Hirsh was recalled in September and pitched in only four games during the season, including the first relief appearances of his career.

His final major league appearance (a start) came on September 26; Hirsh gave up three runs in 4+1⁄3 innings pitched and received a no-decision in a 6–4 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Pitching coach Bob Apodaca gave this assessment of Hirsh before 2008: "All Jason has to do is trust his stuff.

"[41] Injuries began plaguing Hirsh in 2007, and he had trouble recovering from them; he spent all of 2009 and 2010 in the minor leagues.