- Willie Hernandez had died at the age of 69; no cause of death has been revealed
- He won the MVP Award for the World Series-winning Detroit Tigers in 1984
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Three-time All-Star relief pitcher Willie Hernandez, who won the 1984 AL Cy Young and Most Valuable Player awards for the World Series champion Detroit Tigers, has died at the age of 69.
Tigers spokesman Chad Crunk said Tuesday that Hernandez died in Florida and the team confirmed Hernandez’s death along with his family. No cause has yet been announced.
The left-handed Hernandez had a career that spanned thirteen years, but is best known for his role as closer on one of the most dominant teams of the past forty years.
The 1984 Tigers, led by Alan Trammell, Lou Whitaker and Jack Morris, opened 35-5 and clinched the AL East title by a score of 104-58 before defeating Kansas City in the AL Championship Series and defeating San Diego in the span of five games. World series.
Hernandez had a 9-3 record and 32 saves in 33 chances in 1984, with an ERA of 1.92 over 80 games and 140 1/3 innings. He is one of only eleven pitchers to win the Cy Young and MVP in the same year, edging Dan Quisenberry of Kansas City for Cy Young in 1984 and Kent Hrbek of Minnesota for MVP.
Former Detroit Tigers relief pitcher Guillermo ‘Willie’ Hernandez has died at the age of 69
Detroit’s Alan Trammell (left), Hernandez (center) and Darrell Evans (right) celebrate after beating the Kansas City Royals 1-0 to win the American League Championship in Detroit, 1984
Hernandez would have an excellent postseason, making it out of the decisive Game 5, drawing a short fly ball to left field from Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn that started a celebration. The Tigers haven’t won a World Series since.
“Willie Hernandez was a great teammate and I am terribly sorry to hear the news of his passing,” former Tigers star Alan Trammell said in a statement. “I’ll never forget our team celebrating together on the mound after taping the 1984 World Series finale.
“He will always be remembered as a World Series champion. My thoughts and prayers are with this family.”
Guillermo Hernandez was born in Aguada, Puerto Rico, on November 14, 1954. His rise to baseball stardom could not have been predicted during 6 1/2 solid but unspectacular seasons with the Chicago Cubs, beginning in 1977.
He was traded to Philadelphia during the 1983 season and pitched four scoreless innings in that year’s World Series as the Phillies lost to Baltimore.
Hernandez on the mound during Game 5 of the World Series against the Padres in 1984
Detroit acquired Hernandez and Dave Bergman from the Phillies for Glenn Wilson and John Wockenfuss a few weeks before the 1984 season. Hernandez would make three consecutive All-Star teams from 1984 to 1986.
Hernandez finished with a record of 70-63 and an ERA of 3.38.
After a decline in performance led to cheers from fans, Hernandez poured ice water from a bucket on Detroit Free Press columnist Mitch Albom in March 1988 while the reporter was talking to Tigers teammate Frank Tanana.
The following month, Hernandez asked the team to have the broadcast announcer refer to him as Guillermo, and Hernandez ignored that for the rest of his career.