The Detroit Tigers mourn the loss of former pitcher Willie Hernández, who played a pivotal role in helping the team win the 1984 World Series. Hernández, who passed away at the age of 69, was a standout player during that season and went on to have three consecutive All-Star appearances.
In 1984, Hernández won both the American League MVP and Cy Young Awards, marking the beginning of his impressive career. As the Tigers’ closer that year, he appeared in 80 games and notched an incredible 32 saves while striking out a career-high 112 batters in 140.1 innings. He also posted a career-best earned run average of 1.92 and finished 68 games.
The Tigers expressed their deep sadness over Hernández’s passing in a statement, highlighting his integral role in their World Series victory and his recognition with MVP and Cy Young honors. Alan Trammell, Hernández’s former teammate, remembered him as a great teammate and expressed his sorrow over the news of his passing.
Hernández joined the Tigers in 1984 and spent five seasons with the team before retiring at age 34. Before joining the Tigers, he spent six-plus seasons with the Chicago Cubs before being traded to the Philadelphia Phillies.
Hernández will be remembered for his vital contribution to the Tigers’ world championship win in 1984 when he earned an astounding 78% of MVP votes. He is also one of only three relievers in MLB history to win both MVP and Cy Young Awards in the same season. This story is still developing, and updates will be provided as they become available.
