This week is a sad one for Major League Baseball after the announcement of a legend that has passed away.
Three-time All-Star and 1984 World Series champion Willie Hernandez passed away at the age of 69 after a yearslong battle with a heart condition, per a report from La Primera Hora — a newspaper in Hernandez’s native Puerto Rico.
The National Baseball Hall of Fame confirmed the news Tuesday, paying homage to Hernández in a tweet.
The former American League MVP and Cy Young winner had been dealing with heart troubles for around 15 years, his wife tells La Primera Hora. Hernandez even stated back in 2019 that he nearly died in 2007 while having a pacemaker installed in his heart.
Hernández played for three teams in his 13-year MLB career. He came up with the Chicago Cubs and spent his first six-and-a-half years with them before he was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies midseason in 1983. He posted a 3.29 ERA and saved seven games over 95 2/3 innings.
Just before next season, Hernández was shipped to the Tigers in a trade and things changed as they moved him into the closer role and watched him develop into a superstar. After saving 27 total games over his first seven seasons in the majors, Hernández saved 32 with the Tigers in 1984.
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He posted a 1.92 ERA and led baseball in both games pitched and games finished. He is one of just 10 pitchers to ever capture both a Cy Young Award and an MVP in the same season.
Hernández was named to the All-Star team in his first three seasons with the Tigers. He remained with the team through 1989.
