Former Detroit Tigers reliever Guillermo “Willie” Hernández, who won the 1984 American League MVP Award, the AL Cy Young Award and the World Series championship during his 13-year MLB career, died Monday night .
He was 69.
Hernández, who suffered from heart problems after his playing career, died at his home in Sebring, Florida, according to a report by La Primera Hora. The funeral service is expected to take place in Aguada, Puerto Rico, where Hernández was born in 1954.
“The Tigers are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Willie Hernández,” the Tigers said in a statement Tuesday. “Our thoughts are with the Hernández family, his friends and teammates.”
BILL DOW: The “most underrated player” in history helped the Tigers win the 1984 World Series
Only three players have won the MVP, Cy Young and World Series in the same season: Sandy Koufax in 1963, Denny McLain in 1968 and Hernández in 1984.
Hernández is one of ten players to win the MVP and Cy Young titles in the same season, along with Don Newcombe in 1956, Koufax in 1963, McLain in 1968, Bob Gibson in 1968, Rollie Fingers in 1968 1981, Roger Clemens in 1986 and Dennis Eckersley in 1992, Justin Verlander in 2011 and Clayton Kershaw in 2014.
Three of those players – Fingers, Hernández and Eckersley – served as substitutes. Both Fingers and Eckersley were inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.
“Willie Hernández was a great teammate and I am terribly sorry to hear the news of his passing,” Hall of Famer Alan Trammell, who played for the Tigers from 1977 to 1996, said in a statement Tuesday. “I will never forget our team’s celebration together on the mound after taping the finale of the 1984 World Series. He will always be remembered as a World Series champion. My thoughts and prayers are with his family.”
During the 1984 season, Hernández posted a 1.92 ERA and 32 saves over 140⅓ innings in 80 games out of the bullpen. Of those 80 games, 68 games were finished. He appeared in another six games in the postseason, including three games, 5⅓ innings, and two saves in the World Series.
Hernández, a left-handed hitter, pitched the final two innings of the 1984 World Series. He faced eight batters and made the save in an 8-4 victory over the San Diego Padres in Game 5 at Tiger Stadium.
He also made the save in Game 3 of the World Series.
MORE FROM DOW: Longtime Tigers closer Mike Henneman has the best Sparky Anderson lesson
The Tigers acquired Hernández (and Dave Bergman) from the Philadelphia Phillies in March 1984, trading Glenn Wilson and John Wockenfuss. Before the trade, Hernández played for the Chicago Cubs (1977-83) and the Phillies (1983).
Hernández spent his final six seasons, from 1984 to 1989, as a member of the Tigers. He made the AL All-Star team in 1984, 1986 and 1987, recording a 2.60 ERA and 87 saves in 335⅔ innings in 218 games over three years.
In his 13-year MLB career, Hernández had a 3.38 ERA with 147 saves and 778 strikeouts over 1,044⅔ innings in 744 games. He posted a 1.32 ERA with three saves and seven strikeouts over 13⅔ innings in 10 postseason games.
Contact or follow Evan Petzold at [email protected] @EvanPetzold.
Listen to our weekly Tigers show, Days of Roar, on-demand every Monday afternoon on freep.com, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. And check out all of our podcasts and daily voice briefings at freep.com/podcasts.