Willie Hernández, 1984 MVP and Cy Young winer, dead at 69
Willie Hernández, who won the American League Cy Young, MVP and a World Series title all in 1984 with the Tigers, died on Monday night.
He was 69.
Hernández, who spent time with the Tigers, Cubs and Phillies, passed away at his home in Sebring, Florida.
Funeral services are expected to take place in his native Puerto Rico, La Primera Hora reported.
The cause of death is unclear.
“The Tigers are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Willie Hernández,” the team said in a statement. “Our thoughts are with the Hernández family, his friends, and teammates.”
In 1984, Hernandez won the personal hardware along with a World Series title during a season in which he baseball with 80 games pitched and 68 games finished, all while holding a 1.92 ERA for Detroit.
The left-hander was a three-time All-Star (1984-86) with the Tigers, and he holds the distinction of being one of three players — along with Sandy Koufax in 1963 and Denny McLain in 1968 — in major league history to win the Cy Young award, MVP and a World Series all in the same year.
As a reliever, he threw 140 ¹/₃ innings — recording a career-best 32 saves — during the ’84 regular season before adding 9 ¹/₃ more frames in the postseason.
He recorded two saves in the World Series, including the series clincher in Game 5 when he pitched the final two innings, getting Hall-of-Famer Tony Gwynn to fly out to end the series.
Forever a champion.
Our thoughts are with the family, friends and teammates of former Tigers reliever Guillermo “Willie” Hernández. pic.twitter.com/ccsblKuTJp— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) November 21, 2023
“Willie Hernández was a great teammate, and I’m terribly sorry to hear the news of his passing,” former Tigers teammate Alan Trammell said in a statement, according to the Associated Press. “I will never forget our team’s celebration together on the mound after he recorded the final out of the 1984 World Series. He will always be remembered as a World Series champion.
“My thoughts and prayers are with this family.”
Tigers pitcher Willie Hernandez throws a pitch during Game 5 of the 1984 World Series against the Padres.
AP
Willie Hernandez and catcher Lance Parrish celebrate after the Tigers beat the Padres to win the World Series in Detroit on Oct. 14, 1984.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Over 744 games and 1,044 ²/₃ innings in his career, the southpaw had a 3.38 ERA and recorded 147 saves.