Willie Hernandez. Mandi Wright, Detroit Free Press

Former Tigers Cy Young, MVP winner dies at 69

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Larry Brown | Last updated 11/21/23

Former Detroit Tigers Cy Young Award winner Willie Hernandez has died at the age of 69.

MLB and the Tigers announced Tuesday that Hernandez had died. Hernandez was the closer on the 1984 Detroit Tigers team that won the World Series. He won not just the AL Cy Young Award that season, but also AL MVP.

We are deeply saddened by the passing of Willie Hernandez, who won the AL MVP Award and AL Cy Young Award during the 1984 World Series Championship season for the @tigers.

The Puerto Rico native was 69 years old. pic.twitter.com/sg7ksBMQuL

— MLB (@MLB) November 21, 2023

Hernandez played 13 seasons in MLB.

He began his career pitching seven seasons for the Chicago Cubs before being traded to the Phillies. He pitched one season for the Phillies in 1983 and then was traded to the Tigers, for whom he pitched his final six seasons.

Hernandez, a 6-foot-3 southpaw from Puerto Rico, made three straight All-Star teams with the Tigers from 1984-86. In the 1984 season, he appeared in 80 games, finishing 68 of them. He went 9-3 with a 1.92 ERA and 0.94 WHIP.

Hernandez recorded the final out of the ’84 World Series, something former teammate Alan Trammell remembered well.

“Willie Hernández was a great teammate, and I’m terribly sorry to hear the news of his passing. 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,” Trammell said in a statement.

Alan Trammell on Willie Hernandez (cont.)

“He will always be remembered as a World Series champion. My thoughts and prayers are with this family.”

— Chris McCosky (@cmccosky) November 21, 2023