This week, Major League Baseball mourns the passing of a beloved legend.
Willie Hernandez, a three-time All-Star and 1984 World Series champion, has died at the age of 69 after a long battle with a heart condition, as reported by La Primera Hora, a newspaper in his native Puerto Rico.
The National Baseball Hall of Fame confirmed the news on Tuesday and paid tribute to Hernández in a tweet.
Hernández, the former American League MVP and Cy Young winner, had been battling heart issues for approximately 15 years, according to his wife’s interview with La Primera Hora. In 2019, Hernández had mentioned that he nearly lost his life in 2007 when a pacemaker was installed in his heart.
Hernández began his 13-year MLB career with the Chicago Cubs, where he spent six-and-a-half years before being traded to the Philadelphia Phillies in 1983. He had a 3.29 ERA and saved seven games over 95 2/3 innings.
Prior to the next season, Hernández was traded to the Tigers. His role was changed to closer, and he soon became a superstar, saving 32 games in 1984 after only saving 27 in his prior seven seasons in the majors. He also posted a 1.92 ERA and led baseball in games pitched and games finished. He is one of just 10 pitchers to have won both a Cy Young Award and an MVP in the same season.
Hernández was selected for the All-Star team in his first three seasons with the Tigers. He remained with the team through 1989.
