Matt Festa Bio
Matthew Joseph Festa is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Cleveland Guardians of Major League Baseball (MLB). Born on March 11, 1993, in Brooklyn, New York, he has spent parts of several seasons in the majors with the Seattle Mariners, New York Mets, and Texas Rangers. A right-handed pitcher, Festa has built his career as a reliever, working through the minor leagues before reaching the highest level of professional baseball. In addition to his MLB career, he has also represented the Italy national baseball team.
Early Life and Background
Matthew Joseph Festa was born on March 11, 1993, in Brooklyn, New York, and was raised in the Bulls Head and Great Kills sections of Staten Island, New York. Growing up in New York City, he became a fan of the New York Yankees and developed an early interest in pitching. He graduated from St. Joseph by the Sea High School in 2011, where he played baseball and began to attract attention from college programs.
After high school, Festa enrolled at Dominican College, where he played college baseball for the Chargers for one year. Seeking a stronger program, he transferred to East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania, where he pitched for the East Stroudsburg Warriors for three seasons. At East Stroudsburg, he majored in business management and developed into one of the top collegiate arms in the region. In 2016, he was named an All-America selection, a recognition that helped elevate his draft stock.
Path to Professional Baseball
Festa’s path to professional baseball began with the 2016 Major League Baseball draft, when the Seattle Mariners selected him in the seventh round with the 207th overall pick. He became the highest draft pick in East Stroudsburg University program history, a milestone that reflected his college performance and his raw potential on the mound. After being drafted, Festa began his professional career in the Mariners’ minor league system, working his way up through the lower levels.
He spent his first professional season with the Everett AquaSox of the Low-A Northwest League in 2016, posting a 6–2 record with a 3.73 earned run average (ERA) in 14 games. The following year, Festa pitched for the Modesto Nuts of the High-A California League, where he went 4–2 with a 3.23 ERA and 99 strikeouts in 69 2/3 innings, earning an appearance in the league’s all-star game. His performance in the minors positioned him for a shot at the major leagues within two years of being drafted.
Matt Festa Career
Early Career (2016–2017)
Festa opened his professional career in 2016 with the Everett AquaSox, where he showed promise as a starting pitcher. His 6–2 record and 3.73 ERA in 14 games helped establish him as a prospect to watch within the Mariners’ system. The following season, he moved up to the Modesto Nuts of the High-A California League and continued to impress with a 3.23 ERA and nearly 100 strikeouts, an outing that earned him a spot in the California League All-Star Game.
These two seasons gave the Mariners confidence that Festa was ready for higher-level competition. His strikeout numbers and ability to limit runs signaled that he could develop into a major league reliever. By the end of 2017, Festa had positioned himself for a promotion to Double-A and a potential path toward Seattle.
Seattle Mariners Era (2018–2022)
Festa made his major league debut on July 14, 2018, after being promoted from the Double-A Arkansas Travelers. He went on to appear in games for the Mariners that season, becoming one of the few pitchers from East Stroudsburg to reach the majors. In 2019, Festa made the Mariners’ Opening Day roster, although he spent time with the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers during the year and finished with 20 appearances for Seattle.
His 2020 season was cut short before it began when he underwent Tommy John surgery on March 5, ending his year. Festa returned to action in August 2021, pitching for Tacoma and posting a 2.95 ERA across 21 1/3 innings. In 2022, he decided to go by his full first name of Matthew and earned a spot on Seattle’s Opening Day roster. On July 17, 2022, he recorded his first career save, striking out the side in the 10th inning to protect a one-run lead over the Texas Rangers. The Mariners designated him for assignment on August 8, 2022, and released him the same day.
New York Mets (2024)
On May 19, 2024, Festa signed a minor league contract with the New York Mets. He pitched for the Triple-A Syracuse Mets and recorded a 1.76 ERA with 19 strikeouts in 15 1/3 innings across 11 appearances. On June 30, the Mets selected his contract and added him to the active roster. That same day, he entered a rain-delayed game against the Houston Astros in the 11th inning and gave up five runs in a 10-5 loss. Festa was designated for assignment on July 3 and elected free agency on July 5 after clearing waivers.
Texas Rangers (2024–2025)
On July 8, 2024, Festa signed a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers and pitched for the Triple-A Round Rock Express, posting a 1.42 ERA with six strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings. After a brief release, he re-signed with the Rangers on August 6 and was added to the major league roster on August 11. In 18 appearances for Texas, Festa logged a 6-0 record with a 4.37 ERA and 23 strikeouts across 22 2/3 innings. The Rangers designated him for assignment on January 6, 2025, and later traded him to the Chicago Cubs for cash considerations on January 9. After clearing waivers, Festa returned to the Rangers organization in February 2025 and made nine scoreless appearances for Round Rock, going 2-0 with 20 strikeouts and one save over 14 2/3 innings.
Cleveland Guardians (2025–Present)
On April 30, 2025, Festa was traded to the Cleveland Guardians in exchange for cash considerations. On May 2, the Guardians selected his contract, adding him to their active roster. The move gave Festa a fresh opportunity in a new organization and placed him in a bullpen role for the American League Central contenders. His early appearances with Cleveland marked the latest chapter in a career that has spanned several organizations since 2018.
Notable Events and Milestones
Festa’s first career save on July 17, 2022, came when he struck out the side in the 10th inning to protect a one-run lead over the Texas Rangers. His selection as the highest draft pick in East Stroudsburg University history in 2016 also stands as a major personal milestone. In 2024, his undefeated 6-0 run with the Texas Rangers highlighted a successful stretch as a late-inning reliever.
Matt Festa Career Wins
Matthew Joseph Festa has compiled a professional career defined by consistent relief work across multiple organizations. His six wins with the Texas Rangers in 2024 stand out as a career highlight, while his earlier minor league seasons in Everett and Modesto helped establish his reputation as a strikeout pitcher. Festa’s path through the Seattle Mariners, New York Mets, Texas Rangers, and Cleveland Guardians has produced several memorable outings and a steadily growing list of accomplishments.
Matt Festa Family
Personal Life
Matthew Joseph Festa is married to Danamarie McNicholl, a Fox News reporter. The couple has been together as Festa has continued his professional baseball career across multiple organizations and cities. His upbringing in Staten Island and his Italian-American heritage have also connected him to international baseball, as he has represented the Italy national baseball team, including committing to play for Team Italy in the 2023 World Baseball Classic in Miami.
2025 Season Performance
Matt Festa entered the 2025 season having been designated for assignment by the Texas Rangers in January and traded to the Chicago Cubs. After clearing waivers, he returned to the Rangers organization in February and made nine scoreless appearances for the Triple-A Round Rock Express, going 2-0 with 20 strikeouts, one save, and a 0.00 ERA over 14 2/3 innings. His strong early-season form in the minors quickly caught the attention of other clubs.
On April 30, 2025, Festa was traded to the Cleveland Guardians in exchange for cash considerations, and on May 2, the Guardians selected his contract, adding him to their active roster. The move gave Festa a fresh opportunity in a contending bullpen and placed him back in the major leagues. His combination of strikeout ability and recent scoreless minor league work positioned him as a useful arm for Cleveland’s relief corps.
Looking ahead through the rest of 2025, Festa’s role with the Guardians will likely focus on middle and late-inning relief, with his fastball and slider giving Cleveland a right-handed option against both right- and left-handed hitters. With several seasons of major league experience now behind him, Festa enters the year aiming to settle into a stable bullpen role after several transactions over the past two seasons.