For the first time since 1996 (and just the third time since 1960), the BBWAA election resulted in no selections. Three individuals were elected and subsequently inducted in voting by the Pre-Integration Era panel of theVeterans Committee:
February 7 – At Winter Baseball,Doug Clark hits a solohome run in the top of the 18th inning to lead Mexico'sYaquis de Obregón in beating Dominican Republic'sLeones del Escogido, 4–3, to clinch the2013 Caribbean Series final. The game lasts seven hours and 28 minutes, making it the longest game in Caribbean Series (55-year) history. The previous record of six hours, 13 minutes was set in the2007 Opening Game, whenTony Batista of the Dominican Republic hit a bases-loadedsacrifice fly in the 18th inning to give his team a 4–3 victory over Venezuela. Mexico's pitcherLuis Mendoza is named theMost Valuable Player of the event.[2]
February 18 – For the first time sincesalary arbitration began in1974, none of the MLB players who file wind up arguing their cases. After peaking at 35 hearings in1986, the number of salary arbitration cases argued had not reached double digits since2001. The total of cases dropped to a record low of three in 2005, 2009 and 2011, and there were none at all in 2013. All 133 players who filed in January settled, gaining an average increase of 119 per cent, according to a study byThe Associated Press.[3]
March 5 – Major League Baseball intends to expand the use ofinstant replay for the 2014 season and will be studying over the course of this year which calls to review and how to do it. League officials plan to visit Miami during theWorld Baseball Classic and various spring training sites to examine camera angles and other factors that will help them develop a plan.[4]
March 19 – AtAT&T Park, theDominican Republic blanksPuerto Rico, 3–0, to complete the most dominant championship run in the brief history of theWorld Baseball Classic. The Dominican team, managed byTony Peña, caps an 8–0 unbeaten run to become the first undefeated champion team in the tournament.New York Yankees second basemanRobinson Canó earns MVP honors, after batting an average of .469 (15-for-32) with two home runs and six RBI, whileTampa Bay Rays closerFernando Rodney finishes for his seventh[3] save to extend his own Classic record. The losing team would congratulate the winner on the field, a sportsmanlike and uncommon gesture in MLB playoff games.[5]
April 1 – AtDodger Stadium,Clayton Kershaw of theLos Angeles Dodgers shuts out theSan Francisco Giants 4–0 on four hits and helps his own cause byhomering in the same game. The home run, the first of Kershaw's career, comes in the eighth inning off relief pitcherGeorge Kontos and breaks a scoreless tie. Kershaw, who had been locked in a pitcher's duel withMatt Cain for six innings, becomes only the second pitcher since1921 to throw an Opening Day shutout and hit a home run in the same game,Bob Lemon having accomplished the feat in1953.[7]
April 23 – In the second game of a doubleheader atCoors Field,B. J. andJustin Upton of theAtlanta Braves become only the second brothers to hit back-to-back home runs in the same game. B. J. begins the fifth inning by homering offJon Garland, his third of the season. Next up, Justin follows with his league-leading 11th home run. The Braves defeat theColorado Rockies 10–2.Lloyd andPaul Waner had been the only brothers to hit back-to-back home runs, doing so for thePittsburgh Pirates on September 15,1938.[12]
April 26 – AtComerica Park,Aníbal Sánchez of theDetroit Tigers breaksMickey Lolich's 44-year franchise record for most strikeouts in one game, striking out 17Atlanta Braves in eight innings in the Tigers' 10–0 victory. Sánchez sets the mark by recording a three-strikeout eighth inning, after which he is pulled. Lolich had held the previous franchise record of 16 strikeouts, doing so twice in1969.[13]
Major League Baseball announces thatAtlanta Braves outfielderJustin Upton andBaltimore Orioles outfielderChris Davis are named players of the month for April in the National League and American League, respectively.[14] In his first season in Atlanta, Upton batted a .299 average with 12 home runs and 19 RBI while leading the Braves to a 17–9 April record. Davis is in his third season with the Orioles, but has finally tapped into his potential. Through the first month of the season, he hit .348 with nine home runs and 28 RBI while posting an OPS of 1.141.
Clay Buchholz of theBoston Red Sox is named the American League Pitcher of the Month. In his five starts, Buchholz registered a perfect 5–0 record with a 1.19 ERA, 39 strikeouts and 13 walks over37+2⁄3 innings of work, to help the Red Sox match a club record with 18 wins in April, a month mark also achieved in 1998 and 2003. This is Buchholz's second 'pitcher of the month' award. He previously won the honor in August 2010.[15] Meanwhile, his counterpartMatt Harvey of theNew York Mets is voted the Pitcher of the Month in the National League. Harvey went 4–0 in six starts, while his 1.56 ERA ranked third and his 46 strikeouts tied for fourth in the league. Harvey also becomes the first pitcher in the modern era to win his first four starts while allowing 10-or-fewer hits in that span.[16]
Justin Grimm of theTexas Rangers is named the American League Rookie of the Month for April. Grimm posted a 2–0 record and a 1.59 ERA, striking out 15 batters while walking four in 17.0 innings over three starts. Grimm was tied for first among AL rookie pitchers in wins, finishing fourth overall in innings pitched, and limiting his opponents to a .239 average.[17] In the National League,Atlanta Braves catcherEvan Gattis earns Rookie of the Month honors for the month of April. In 21 games, Gattis led all major league rookies with six home runs, 16 RBI, a .566 slugging percentage and 43 total bases, while hitting .250 (19-for-76). The 26-year-old, who was selected by the Braves in the 23rd round of the 2010 First-Year Player Draft, ranked third among qualifying NL rookies in hitting, was tied for second with nine runs scored and finished fourth in hits. He also led all rookies with a club-high five game-winning RBI in his first month in the majors.[18]
Jon Lester hurls a one-hit,complete gameshutout, to lead theBoston Red Sox to a 5–0 victory over theToronto Blue Jays. Almost perfect, Lester retires the first 17 batters he faces before giving up a double toMaicer Izturis in the bottom of the sixth inning. After that, he retires the last Toronto 10 batters in succession. Besides, it is the 9,000th regular season victory in Red Sox history.[21]
Alex Cobb of theTampa Bay Raysstrikes out 13 in4+2⁄3 innings against theSan Diego Padres, recording 12 of the 14 outs by strikeouts, four of them in the third inning, when awild pitch on strike three allowsWill Venable to reach base. The other outs are recorded on grounders to shortstop in the first and third base in the fourth. The Rays won, 6–3, but Cobb does not get a decision. Nevertheless, Cobb becomes the first pitcher in major league history to strike out 13 while failing to complete five innings.[22]
May 11 –St. Louis Cardinals pitcherAdam Wainwright retires the first 13 batters faced in his start against theColorado Rockies. Combined with the 27 straight outs hurled byShelby Miller in hisperfect game the previous day, the Cardinals tied a Major League Baseball record for most consecutive outs by one team against another at 40, set by theTexas Rangers on May 3–4, 1996. A one-out walk toTodd Helton in the 5th inning ends the perfect streak, though Wainwright keeps theno-hitter going until the 7th and ends up with a 3–0, two-hitshutout.[citation needed]
May 12 –Chris Sale of theChicago White Sox is not perfect against theLos Angeles Angels, but he is about as close as possible. Sale gives up just one hit toMike Trout in the top of the seventh inning in a dominant 3–0 win. He walks no one, strikes out seven, and faces just one more batter than the minimum.[23]
May 13 –Justin Masterson pitches a four-hitter for his second shutout this season, leading theCleveland Indians over theNew York Yankees, 1–0. Masterson (6–2) also had a shutout against the Chicago White Sox on April 12,[24] becoming the first Cleveland pitcher to record two complete-game shutouts in the same season sinceBud Black andGreg Swindell did it in1989.[25]
May 14 – ThePhiladelphia Phillies have signed 17-year-old German outfielder Julsan Kamara to a seven-year minor league contract, according to Philipp Wuerfel ofMister Baseball.com.[26] Considered one of Germany's best prospects, Kamara attended the MLB European Academy inTyrrhenia, Italy. He is a member of the German Junior National Team, and competed in last winter's International Power Showcase atMarlins Park in Miami.[27]
Miguel Cabrera belts three home runs in a losing cause against theTexas Rangers, who collect 18 hits en route to an 11–8 victory over the visitingDetroit Tigers. Cabrera, the2012 AL Triple Crown winner, becomes the 23rd player in MLB history to go 4-for-4 with at least three homers, five RBI and four runs scored. The previous 22 all were on the winning team.[30]
TheNew York Mets sweep theNew York Yankees for the first time inSubway Series history by completing a 3–1 victory atYankee Stadium.Dillon Gee strikes out a career-high 12 and limits the Yankees to four hits over7+1⁄3 innings, whileMarlon Byrd blasts a two-run, second-deck home run. The Mets outscore their crosstown rivals in the sweep, 16–7, with the first two games played atCiti Field. Since the start ofinterleague play in1997, the only Subway Series sweep had been performed by the Yankees, when they went 6–0 in2003.[33]
Jacoby Ellsbury of the Boston Red Sox steals a team-record five bases in a 9–2 victory against the host Philadelphia Phillies. However, none of the steals leads to any runs. The five stolen bases are the most for a major league player since Tampa Bay'sCarl Crawford stole six bases against the Red Sox on May 3,2009.[34]
Miguel Cabrera of theDetroit Tigers andDomonic Brown of thePhiladelphia Phillies are named Player of the Month in the American League and National League respectively. The reigning Triple Crown winner and defending American League MVP batted .379 (44 for 116) with nine doubles, 12 home runs, 33 runs batted in and 23 runs scored in 28 games. Cabrera also becomes the first player in Major League history to enter June batting at least .340 with 15 homers and 60 RBIs.[37] Also in 28 games, Brown led the National League with 12 home runs and 25 RBI, tying Cabrera for the Major League lead in homers while ranking fourth overall in RBI. In addition, he had 89 total bases which was good for third in the Majors, and was slugging at .688 for the second-highest mark in the National League, while posting a .303 (33 for 109) batting average.[38]
Jason Vargas of theLos Angeles Angels andPatrick Corbin of theArizona Diamondbacks earn Pitcher of the Month honors in their respective leagues. Vargas compiled a perfect 5–0 record with a 2.30 earned run average, one shutout, 31 strikeouts and 14 walks in 43.0 innings pitched over six starts, and qualified among AL starters with a minimum of 27.0 innings pitched, ending first in wins and second in innings pitched and ERA.[39] Like Vargas, Corbin was a perfect 5–0 in five May starts. His 1.53 ERA was the lowest among qualifying NL pitchers and ranks second in the majors. With an undefeated 9–0 record in 2013, Corbin led the majors in wins while his 2.06 ERA ranked fourth among qualifying starters.[40]
Nate Freiman of theOakland Athletics is voted American League Rookie of the Month for May. The Athletics have now claimed two of the last three rookie honors afterYoenis Céspedes was selected in September 2012. Freiman batted .351 (13 for 37) with three doubles, one home run and nine RBI in 14 games, tallying four multi-hit games during the stretch. He compiled a career-best four-game hitting streak from May 26–29, going 6-for-11 (.545) with seven RBI as Oakland goes 4–0 during the streak. Among AL rookies, the 26-year-old first baseman finished second in RBI, tied for fourth in doubles, for sixth in hits and homers, and was eighth overall in at-bats.[41]
In the National League,Atlanta Braves catcherEvan Gattis is named Rookie of the Month for May. This is his second monthly award after being voted NL Rookie of the Month for April; he becomes the first player to win back-to-back NL rookie honors since his Atlanta teammateJason Heyward earned the distinction in April and May 2010. In 22 games in May, Gattis led all Major League rookies with 16 RBI, while his six home runs were tied for first withSan Diego Padres infielderJedd Gyorko. Gattis also ranked among MLB rookie leaders with 11 extra-base hits (T-2nd), 13 runs scored (T-3rd), 43 total bases (T-3rd) and five doubles (T-5th), while hitting .303 (20-for-63) with a .683 slugging percentage and a .362 on-base percentage.[42]
Officials ofNippon Professional Baseball admit that they had introduced new, livelierballs for the current season, after previously denying that a marked increase in home runs from last season was due to changes in the ball.[47]
June 15 –Henry Blanco debuts with theSeattle Mariners in grand fashion, batting the first pitch he sees fromA. J. Griffin, for agrand slam that account for all of Seattle's runs in a 4–0 victory over theOakland Athletics atThe Coliseum. The blast breaks a scoreless tie in the sixth inning and was more than enough to helpFélix Hernández improve to 8–4 after dealing his fourth scoreless outing of the season. The 41-year-old Blanco, in his 16th Major League season with 11 teams, is best known as a defensive specialistcatcher, with a career 40.7 percentcaught-stealing rate. A .226 hitter in 936 games, he also becomes the oldest Mariner to ever hit a grand slam.[48]
In the National League,Yasiel Puig of theLos Angeles Dodgers becomes the first man to earn theMajor League Baseball Player of the Month Award during his first MLB month since the honor was established in1958. The 22-year-old Cuban outfielder batted .436 with a .467 on-base percentage and slugged .713 in 27 games, including five doubles, one triple, seven homers and four stolen bases. His 44 base hits were the second-most ever by a first-month player behindYankees'Joe DiMaggio, who batted 48 in May 1936. In addition, Puig is also voted the NL Rookie of the Month, marking just the fifth time sinceit was introduced in 2001 that a position player or pitcher of the month award winner has garnered rookie honors in the same calendar month. Puig joinsDontrelle Willis (FLA, June 2003),Ryan Braun (MIL, July 2007),Jeremy Hellickson (TB, May 2011) andMike Trout (LAA, July 2012) as the only players to accomplish the rare double feat.[56]
Jason Kipnis of theCleveland Indians is named the American League Player of the Month Award for his performance at the plate in June. The second baseman earns the recognition after batting .419 (39 for 93) with 12 doubles, four home runs, 25 RBIs and 17 runs scored. He reached base in all 27 games in which he appeared and compiled a .517 on-base percentage and a .699 slugging percentage.[57]
Cuban infielderJosé Iglesias becomes the firstBoston Red Sox player to win the American League Rookie of the Month Award sinceJacoby Ellsbury in 2007. The 23-year-old rookie put together a career-high 18-game hitting streak from May 27–June 18 and finished the month first in batting average (.395), on-base percentage (.453), slugging percentage (.523), on-base plus slugging (.976), at-bats (86), base hits (34) and runs scored (17) among qualifying AL rookies with at least 81 plate appearances. He also collected four doubles, two triples, one home run, six RBIs and two stolen bases.[58]
July 10 –David Ortiz bats a second-inning double offAaron Harang to passHarold Baines for most hits all-time by adesignated hitter with 1,689 and hit a two-run home run an inning later, leading theBoston Red Sox to an 11–4 win over theSeattle Mariners atSafeco Field. Ortiz already holds the marks for the most runs scored (1,018), doubles (432), home runs (370), extra-base hits (819) and RBI (1,209) by a designated hitter in Major League Baseball history.[61]
July 12 –Jarred Cosart of theHouston Astros nearly pitches ano-hitter againstDavid Price and theTampa Bay Rays in his MLB debut, to end the Rays' season-best eight-game winning streak. The first hit allowed by Cosart is a one-out single toBen Zobrist in the seventh inning. The 23-year-old right-hander finishes with eight innings of shutout ball and allows just two hits in Houston's 2–1 win.José Veras, who gives up an unearned run, is credited with the save.[62]
July 13:
Tim Lincecum of theSan Francisco Giantsno-hits theSan Diego Padres 9–0 atPetco Park, the first no-hitter ever pitched in that stadium, striking out 13 and throwing 148 pitches. Giant right fielderHunter Pence preserves the no-hitter by making a diving catch ofAlexi Amarista's sinking line drive to end the eighth inning. Lincecum, the losing pitcher inHomer Bailey's no-hitter eleven days earlier, becomes the first no-hit pitcher who is also on the losing end of a no-hitter during the same season sinceJuan Marichal in1963. The 13 strikeouts are the second-most by a Giant in pitching a no-hitter, after the 14 inMatt Cain's perfect game in2012.[63]
AtComerica Park, theTexas Rangers defeat theDetroit Tigers 7–1 and handMax Scherzer his first loss of the season in 15 decisions. Scherzer was bidding to become the first pitcher to begin a season 14–0 sinceRoger Clemens in1986, as well as become the first pitcher to enter the All-Star break 14–0, breakingDave McNally's 44-year record for best undefeated record at the All-Star break. McNally had gone 13–0 into the All-Star break in1969; he would eventually go 15–0 before finally losing one.[64]
July 14 –Matt Davidson is namedFutures Game MVP after drilling a go-ahead two-run home run in the fourth inning, as the U.S. squad beat the World team, 4–2, atCiti Field. At 22, Davidson is ranked as theArizona Diamondbacks' No. 2 prospect and No. 62 overall on MLB.com's Top 100 Prospects list.[65]
July 15:
Yoenis Céspedes becomes the first player not selected for the All-Star Game to claim theHome Run Derby title. In his second major league season, the Cuban outfielder, who plays with theOakland Athletics, beatsWashington Nationals outfielderBryce Harper, 9–8, in the final round of the event held atCiti Field. Céspedes posts a total of 32 home runs, including 17 in the first round and the decisive drive with five swings to spare, to tie for third in the all-time list withDavid Ortiz (2010) andRobinson Canó (2011) behindBobby Abreu andJosh Hamilton. who batted 41 (2005) and 35 (2008), respectively.[66]
Matt Davidson of theReno Aces bestsMemphis Redbirds first basemanBrock Peterson to win the 2013 Triple-A All Star Home Run Derby. Davidson, a slugger third baseman who wonFutures Game MVP honors a day before, connects 11 home runs across the three rounds, including seven in the first round, to surpass Peterson's 10.[67]
July 16 –Mariano Rivera, pitching in his finalMLB All-Star Game, throws 11 of his 16 pitches for strikes in the eighth inning, as the American League defeats the National League, 3–0. In his 19-year career, Rivera pitched nine All-Star innings and never allowed an earned run while collecting foursaves. In this game he earns ahold, and then the 2013All-Star Game MVP award.[68]
July 22 –Ryan Braun of theMilwaukee Brewers is suspended for the remainder of the regular season–65 games—for his connection to Biogenesis of America, a clinic accused of distributing performance-enhancing drugs. The 65-game ban is 15 games more than the ban that Braun, the 2011 National League Most Valuable Player, avoided in 2012; in that case, an arbitrator overturned his positive test for elevated testosterone because the urine sample had been improperly handled.[69]
July 28 –David Ortiz goes 4 for 4, including a three-run home run, to help theBoston Red Sox beat the hostBaltimore Orioles, 6–0. It is the 11th year Ortiz has hit at least 20 home runs in a Red Sox uniform, which ties him withJim Rice andDwight Evans for the second most in Red Sox history. The franchise record of 16 seasons is held byTed Williams. No other player has more than eight.[70]
Andre Rienzo of theCleveland Indians becomes the firstBrazilian-bornpitcher to play in the major leagues. Rienzo does not allow an earned run and gives up only five hits in seven innings, as he picks up a no-decision in the Indians' 7–4 victory against the visitingChicago White Sox. Rienzo also facesYan Gomes, the first Brazilian-born player in major league history, who collects a hit in their first confrontation.[72]
August 2 –Jarred Cosart of theHouston Astros holds theMinnesota Twins to one run and five hits over seven innings, but he did not factor into the decision in Astros' 4–3 loss in 13 innings. Cosart, who almost pitched a no-hitter in his debut onJuly 12, becomes the first pitcher sinceCincinnati Reds'Wayne Simpson in1970 to give up oneearned run or fewer and throw at least six innings in each of his first four career appearances.[73]
August 5:
Adrián Beltré of theTexas Rangers andJayson Werth of theWashington Nationals are named Player of the Month in the American League and National League respectively. Beltré earns his third such honor with the Rangers and fourth overall, while batting a .369 average with four doubles, nine home runs, 19 RBIs and 13 runs scored over 26 games, which includes 69 total bases and his seventh career walk-off homer. Werth amassed ten multi-hit games over the course of the month, ending with a second-best .367 average, 56 total bases, 17 runs scored and a .622 slugging percentage (fourth). It is the first career Player of the Month Award for Werth and the first ever for the Nationals.Vladimir Guerrero was that franchise's last player to receive the honor while with theMontreal Expos in 2003.[74]
Chris Archer of theTampa Bay Rays andClayton Kershaw of theLos Angeles Dodgers earn Pitcher of the Month honors in their respective leagues. Archer also becomes the sixth player to win thePitcher and Rookie of the Month awards since the latter was introduced in 2001, after posting a perfect 4–0 record with a 0.73 ERA, two shutouts, seven walks and 22 strikeouts in 37 innings of work. Kershaw went 4–1 in six starts and leads the National League with a 1.34 ERA, allowing only seven earned runs in 47 innings, also a league lead. He notched 43 strikeouts for the month and issued just two walks, tying for first in wins while holding opposing hitters to a .161 batting average. The NL Rookie of the Month award is presented toJosé Fernández of theMiami Marlins, who posted a 3–1 record and a 2.06 ERA through five starts. The highest point of his stellar month was his July 28 outing against thePittsburgh Pirates and his fellow prospectGerrit Cole, by surrendering two runs on five hits in eight innings and striking out 13 batters without any walks. Fernández joinsGary Nolan (15 strikeouts, 1967),Dwight Gooden (two 16-strikeout games, 1984) andKerry Wood (20 strikeouts, 1998) as the only pitchers younger than 21 to strike out 13 batters or more without a walk in a single game. Fernández also turned in a perfect inning of relief in the All-Star Game on July 16, when he retired current MLB home run leaderChris Davis and former American League Most Valuable Player Award winnersDustin Pedroia andMiguel Cabrera.[74]
August 7 – TheMLB Players Association files a formal appeal of the 211-game suspension that Major League Baseball levied againstAlex Rodriguez for his relationship with the Biogenesis of America clinic. The suspension was to begin on August 8 and last through the 2014 season, but Rodriguez will be allowed to play until the grievance has been heard by arbitrator Fredric Horowitz, which is not expected until at least November.[76]
August 9 – Oakland Athletics outfielderJosh Reddick puts an end to his 0-for-20 slump in a powerful way, hitting three home runs in a 13–6 victory against the Toronto Blue Jays atRogers Centre.[78]
August 10 –Josh Reddick of the Oakland Athletics belts two home runs in a loss to the Toronto Blue Jays, to become the first big leaguer since 2004 and just the 23rd ever to hit five home runs over two consecutive games with multiple homers in each contest, a feat which has been accomplished only 25 times since the 1916 season.[78]
August 16 –Charlie Manuel, the winningest manager inPhiladelphia Phillies history, is dismissed just four days from earning his 1,000th career managerial victory. The Phillies' third-base coachRyne Sandberg is named interim manager. Manuel ends his nine-year tenure as Phillies manager with a 1,416–780 record, five straight National League East titles from 2007 to 2011 and two National League pennants, while guiding his team to the2008 World Series title, the second in franchise history. Nevertheless, he becomes the first victim of a disappointing season for the Phillies, in which injuries and widespread underperformance lead the team to a 53–67 record at the time of his dismissal. Previously, Manuel spent three years as manager with theCleveland Indians, leading them to the AL Central title in 2001, compiling a 220–190 record as Indians manager.[82][83]
August 17 –Miguel Tejada is suspended for 105 games after testing positive for an amphetamine which was in violation of Major League Baseball's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. The suspension is the third-longest non-lifetime suspension handed out by Major League Baseball, after the 211-game ban handed toAlex Rodriguez on August 5 of this season and a 119-game ban handed toSteve Howe in1992.[84]
August 21 –Ichiro Suzuki collects his 4,000th hit in a career split between the Major Leagues and Japan. In theNew York Yankees' 4–2 victory over theToronto Blue Jays atYankee Stadium, Suzuki lines a first-inning single off the Jays'R. A. Dickey, the ball eluding third basemanBrett Lawrie. Suzuki also breaks a tie withLou Gehrig with this, his 2,722nd Major League hit in his 13th season. Previously, Suzuki amassed 1,278 hits in nine seasons in Japan'sPacific League.[86]
Miguel Cabrera of theDetroit Tigers andMartín Prado of theArizona Diamondbacks are named Player of the Month in the American League and National League respectively. Cabrera, the reigning AL MVP and 2012 Triple Crown winner, earns his fourth career monthly award and second of the current season. He posted a .356 batting average with a .430 on-base percentage for the month and a .733 slugging percentage, which included 11 home runs, five doubles and 31 RBI. Cabrera's month was highlighted by a four-game stretch of multiple-hit games from August 9–12, including a .538 average while hitting a double, three homers, five RBI and four runs in three games against theNew York Yankees.[88] Prado, acquired by Arizona prior the season, led the National League with 30 RBI and 43 hits, while his .375 average was the fourth-best mark in the league and his 65 total bases were the second-highest number in the circuit. He also tied for fifth in runs (19), while his slugging percentage (.565) and on-base percentage (.425) both ranked him ninth.[89]
Iván Nova of theNew York Yankees andZack Greinke of theLos Angeles Dodgers earn Pitcher of the Month honors in their respective leagues. Nova finished the month with a perfect 4–0 record and a 2.08 ERA, including one complete-game three-hit shutout. He also collected 12 walks and 31 strikeouts in43+1⁄3 innings over six starts to claim his first career monthly award.[90] Greinke, who previously won an AL Pitcher of the Month Award in April 2009 as a member theKansas City Royals, went 5–0 with 30 strikeouts and eight walks over36+2⁄3 innings of work, posting a 1.23 ERA in the process. For the second consecutive month, a Dodgers pitcher takes home NL Pitcher of the Month honors.Clayton Kershaw claimed the Award for July.[91]
Martín Pérez of theTexas Rangers is voted American League Rookie of the Month for August. The 22-year left-handed pitcher won all five of his starts in the month, while collecting a 3.06 ERA with 26 strikeouts and 11 walks in35+1⁄3 innings pitched, to become the only Texas rookie ever to win five consecutive starts and the first pitcher overall to do so sinceRyan Dempster won five straight from August 20–September 12 of 2012. Pérez also led AL rookies in wins, ending second in innings and fourth in strikeouts.[92]José Fernández of theMiami Marlins is named Rookie of the Month in the National League, to become the first rookie pitcher to receive the Award in back-to-back months sinceJosh Johnson in May and June 2006. Fernández went 3–1 in six starts, allowing six earned runs in 39 innings for a 1.15 ERA – the second lowest among qualifying rookie pitchers (Alex Wood, 0.90) and the third lowest in the league overall (Clayton Kershaw, 1.01) in August. Fernández also held opposing hitters to a paltry .158 batting average, the lowest mark among qualifying Major League pitchers. He also struck out 49 batters in 39 innings, allowing 11 walks, while breaking his own franchise rookie record with 14 strikeouts against theCleveland Indians on August 2. He previously set the franchise mark with 13 strikeouts in his final July start against thePittsburgh Pirates.[93]
September 6 – In defeating his former team, theArizona Diamondbacks, 3–0 atAT&T Park,Yusmeiro Petit of theSan Francisco Giants has a bid for aperfect game broken up with two out in the ninth and a two-strike count. After retiring the first 26 batters, Petit, who strikes out seven, gets to a 2–2 count onEric Chavez and narrowly misses throwing the next pitch for the third strike. One pitch later, Chavez lines a ball to right field that falls in for a hit despiteHunter Pence's attempt to make a diving catch (ironically, Pence, who scores all three Giant runs including an eight-inning home run, had made a diving catch to preserveTim Lincecum'sno-hitter on July 13). The hit is the only baserunner Petit allows; he retires the next batter,A. J. Pollock, for the final out. With teammateMatt Cain having pitchedhis perfect game a year earlier, the Giants would have joined theNew York Yankees as the only teams to record perfect games in back-to-back seasons,David Wells having pitchedhis in1998 andDavid Cone pitchinghis in1999. It is also the first time that two perfect game bids were broken up with two out in the ninth in the same season,Yu Darvish of theTexas Rangers having his bid broken up on April 2.[94]
September 14 –Vladimir Guerrero formally announces his retirement after failing to secure a contract this season. A nine-time All Star, the Dominican slugger spent 16 major league seasons as an outfielder and designated hitter from 1996 to 2011, playing for theMontreal Expos,Anaheim/Los Angeles Angels,Texas Rangers andBaltimore Orioles, while winning the 2004 American MVP Award and eight Silver Slugger trophies. Guerrero posted a .318 career average with 449 home runs and 1,496 RBIs in 2147 games, which included 2,590 hits, 1,328 runs scored, 181 stolen bases, and 4,506 total bases.[96]
TheLos Angeles Dodgers defeat the hostArizona Diamondbacks, 7–6, to capture the National League West Division title, while becoming the first team to claim a playoff berth in 2013. The Dodgers were in last place in the West through most of May and all of June, trailing by as many as9+1⁄2 games, after their 30–42 start. Since then, the Dodgers posted a Major League-best 58–23 and extended their margin over second-place Arizona by10+1⁄2 games. This will be the first appearance for the Dodgers in the postseason since 2009, when they lost the National League Championship Series to thePhiladelphia Phillies, four games to one. They have not been to the World Series since winning it all in1988.[98]
Boston Red Sox closerKoji Uehara ends his streak of 37 consecutive batters retired, as well as his30+1⁄3-inning scoreless streak, when he allows aDanny Valencia leadoff triple andMatt Wieters to hit a sacrifice fly to score pinch runnerAlexi Casilla, in theBaltimore Orioles' victory over the Red Sox, 3–2, atFenway Park. In the top of the sixth,Chris Davis launches his 51st home run of the season off Boston starterRyan Dempster, a towering shot to center field that ties the game at 2. 51 sets an Orioles season record, surpassingBrady Anderson, who clubbed 50 homers in 1996.[99]
September 20:
TheBoston Red Sox clinch the American League East Division title, getting seven strong innings fromJon Lester in his 100th career victory to beat theToronto Blue Jays, 6–3, atFenway Park. It is a stunning turnaround that comes just one year after the Red Sox complete a 13-monthepic collapse that started in September 2011, when they blew a nine-game lead in the wild card and miss the playoffs with a loss on the final day of the season.[100]
Mariano Rivera is honored by theNew York Yankees before a game against theSan Francisco Giants atYankee Stadium. The 50-minute ceremony includes visits from former Yankees teammates, the retiring of Rivera'suniform number 42, and the heavy metal rock bandMetallica performing the songEnter Sandman, used by Rivera as his entrance song. The tribute to Rivera is followed byAndy Pettitte taking a no-hitter into the sixth inning of his final career home game, but the way the game ends might end the Yankees' playoff hopes, as they lose to the Giants 2–1.[105]
TheMiami Marlins embrace the role of spoiler, helping theAtlanta Braves win the National League East Division title and pushing theSt. Louis Cardinals into the postseason playoffs with a 4–2 victory over theWashington Nationals.[106] It is the first title for Atlanta since 2005. Meanwhile, theKansas City Royals' walk-off 4–0 win over theTexas Rangers in 10 innings not only gives the Royals additional hope in the American League wild card race, it also locks up theOakland Athletics as the winners of the American League West Division for the second time in as many years.[107]
September 23:
ThePittsburgh Pirates clinch their first playoff berth since1992 when they beat theChicago Cubs, 2–1, while theWashington Nationals are eliminated by theSt. Louis Cardinals. TheCincinnati Reds also clinch at least a wild card berth when they defeat theNew York Mets 3–2 in 10 innings. The Pirates and Reds, both with a 90–67 record, now trail St. Louis by two games in the National League Central division with five games to go. As a result, the three clubs qualify for the playoffs and will at least be wild card game participants.[108]
Alex Ríos of theTexas Rangershits for the cycle in four at-bats in a 12–0 victory over theHouston Astros atRangers Ballpark. Rios etches his name in the Texas record books by completing his first career cycle and becomes just the seventh player in franchise history to accomplish the feat. It's also the fourth cycle recorded in club history on four at-bats.[109]
September 24 – Against theWashington Nationals atBusch Stadium, rookieMichael Wacha of theSt. Louis Cardinals has ano-hitter broken up with two out in the ninth.Ryan Zimmerman chops a ground ball that bounces over Wacha's glove to shortstopPete Kozma, who bare-hands it but throws wide to first, pullingMatt Adams off the base.Trevor Rosenthal relieves Wacha after the hit and retiresJayson Werth on a ground ball for the final out in a 2–0 Cardinal victory. The last two Cardinal no-hitters have been pitched by rookies:Bud Smith in2001 andJosé Jiménez in1999. The no-hitter would have been the first inSt. Louis since the second of CardinalBob Forsch's two no-hitters atBusch Memorial Stadium almost a full 30 years earlier, on September 26,1983. WithYu Darvish andYusmeiro Petit havingperfect game bids broken up on April 2 and September 6 respectively, this is the first season in which three no-hit bids were broken up with two out in the ninth since1990. It is also the first month since September1988 in which two no-hitters were broken up with two out in the ninth,Toronto Blue JayDave Stieb having the bids broken up in consecutive starts, on the 24th and 30th.[110][111]
September 25:
TheDetroit Tigers clinch their third consecutive American League Central Division with a 1–0 victory over the hostMinnesota Twins.Max Scherzer scatters two hits and strikes out 10 batters over seven scoreless innings to improve his major league-best record to 21–3, whileTorii Hunter drives in the winning run with a single in the first inning.[112] With this victory,Jim Leyland earns his 700th win as manager of the Tigers, becoming the third manager in Detroit history to reach at least 700 wins, joining Hall of FamersSparky Anderson andHugh Jennings.[113]
TheNew York Yankees fail to claim one of the ten playoff berths when they are mathematically eliminated before the final of an 8–3 loss to theTampa Bay Rays atYankee Stadium. The Yankees are trailing 7–3 in the eighth inning when they drop out of playoff contention as theCleveland Indians complete a 7–2 victory against theChicago White Sox. Despite having the highest opening-day payroll at $230 million, the Yankees are hindered by age, an assortment of injuries and subpar performances, failing to make the postseason for the first time since 2008 and for only the second time in 19 years.[114]
Will Middlebrooks powers the attack with seven RBI and two home runs, including agrand slam, as theBoston Red Sox crush theColorado Rockies, 15–5, in the final game of Colorado Rockies' first basemanTodd Helton atCoors Field. The seven RBI are a career high for Middlebrooks, while the slam is his second this season and third of his career. Helton, who announced his retirement two weeks before, is the longest-tenured and arguably greatest player in Colorado history. He goes 2 for 3, including one homer, a double and three RBI. At the time of his retirement, he leads the Rockies in several statistical categories after playing for them during 17 seasons.[115]
September 27:
The government ofCuba announces that it is lifting many of the restrictions placed on the ability of its athletes, including itsbaseball players, to sign contracts with teams abroad. Cuban baseball players will be allowed to sign with clubs in foreign countries as long as they also fulfill commitments to play domestically. While this represents a significant change in policy, it is unlikely to immediately impact player availability toMajor League Baseball.[116]
The haplessHouston Astros set a franchise record reaching 109 losses this season. After their 3–2 loss to theNew York Yankees, they set another franchise record for futility, losing their 13th consecutive game. The Astros have not won a game since a 9–7 victory over theLos Angeles Angels of Anaheim on September 13. Two of these losses were in extra innings, and one came in a rain-shortened seven-inning game.[117]
September 28:
ThePittsburgh Pirates belt six home runs to beat theCincinnati Reds, 8–3 atGreat American Ball Park, and clinch home-field advantage in the wild-card playoff game.Neil Walker hits two of the Pirates homers, whileAndrew McCutchen,Pedro Alvarez,Marlon Byrd and prospectAndrew Lambo each hit one. It is the first time the Pirates have six homers in a game since August 22, 2007, atCoors Field. Pittsburgh will host the Reds in the Pirates' first playoff appearance in 21 years. Pittsburgh posted a 50–31 record atPNC Park, the third-best home record in the National League, and want to make that long-awaited playoff return on their home turf.[118]
TheSt. Louis Cardinals clinch their first National League Central Division title in four seasons with a 7–0 victory over the visitingChicago Cubs. With this victory, the Cardinals are assured of home-field advantage when the NL Division Series starts.[119]
Andy Pettitte closes out his 18-season career with a one more vintage performance, pitching his first complete game in more than seven years to lead theNew York Yankees to a 2–1 win over theHouston Astros atMinute Maid Park. The left-handed Pettitte, 41, allows one earned run on five hits and two walks while striking out five, to outduel Astros rookie starterPaul Clemens, who was making only his fifth start and carries a shutout into the sixth inning before a cut on his right hand becomes an issue. A three-time All-Star and a member of five Yankees World Champion teams, Pettitte posted a 256–153 career record and a 3.86 ERA in 3,316 innings of work, ending his career without a losing season.[120]
TheCleveland Indians claim the first American League wild card spot by beating theMinnesota Twins, 5–1. Cleveland wins 10 straight and 15 of its final 17 games to reach the postseason for the first time since 2007. TheTampa Bay Rays andTexas Rangers finish tied for the second American League wild card spot, and they will square off in a tiebreaker at theBallpark in Arlington, each club vying to be the final piece of the playoff puzzle. Previously, Tampa Bay beats theLos Angeles Angels of Anaheim 6–2 for their seventh win in a row, while Texas defeats theToronto Blue Jays 7–6.[123]
September 30:
Josh Donaldson of theOakland Athletics andHunter Pence of theSan Francisco Giants are named Player of the Month in the American League and National League respectively. The third baseman earns his first such honor after batting .337 with eight doubles, five home runs and 16 RBI in 25 games to help the Athletics win the AL West Division title. Donaldson had 11 multi-hit efforts, while his 17 extra-base hits ranked him seventh in the AL, ending the season with 56 multi-hit games, the third-most in Oakland history behindMark Kotsay (57 in 2004) andMiguel Tejada (57 in 2002).[124] In 27 games, Pence batted .293 with a .393 on-base percentage and an MLB-leading .667 slugging percentage, also leading MLB with 32 RBI while tying for the lead with 11 home runs. Pence, who started all 162 games this season, became the first Giants player to do so sinceAlvin Dark in 1954, when the season was 154 games long. The right fielder finished the season in his NL-leading 171st consecutive game overall, hitting a walk-off single to give San Francisco a 7–6 victory against theSan Diego Padres atAT&T Park. After that, Pence was rewarded with a five-year, $90 million contract by the Giants.[125]
Ubaldo Jiménez of theCleveland Indians andKris Medlen of theAtlanta Braves earn Pitcher of the Month honors in their respective leagues. Jiménez, who wins his third distinction, posted a perfect 4–0 mark with a 1.09 ERA in six starts, striking out 51 and walking only seven in41+1⁄3 innings of work. He finished first among AL hurlers in innings and strikeouts, second in ERA and ranks fourth in the league with 11.1 strikeouts per nine innings, while opposing batters hit only .230 against him. On the final day of the regular season, the Dominican pitcher tossed6+2⁄3 shutout innings with a season-best 13 strikeouts against theMinnesota Twins to ensure the Indians a spot in the AL Wild Card Game.[126] Medlen, who previously claimed the honor in August and September 2012, went 4–0 in five starts to tie for the NL lead in wins and posted a league-best 1.00 ERA over 36 innings. He also tied for first with theLos Angeles Dodgers'Zack Greinke with a 0.92 WHIP and ranked sixth limiting opponents to a .197 batting average, while striking out 33 against eight walks. Medlen finished the season with a 3.11 ERA and set career highs in innings (197), wins (15) and strikeouts (157), while helping the Braves finish off their first NL East title since 2005 and claim home-field advantage in the NL Division Series against the Dodgers.[127]
Wil Myers of theTampa Bay Rays is voted American League Rookie of the Month. In September, Myers hit a slash line (BA/OBP/SLG) of .317/.360/.558, including 13 doubles and four home runs in 27 games to help the Rays advance to the AL Wild Card tiebreaker against theTexas Rangers. The 22-year-old outfielder finished first among AL rookies in hits (33), runs (18), doubles, extra-base hits (17) and total bases (58), while tying for first in homers (13). He also ranked second in RBI (53), average (.293), OBP (.354) and SLG (.478). He put together an eight-game hitting streak from September 11–18, during which he batted .387 with five doubles, two homers and seven RBI, and notched his second career multi-homer game.[128] The National League Rookie of the Month award is presented toGerrit Cole, whose strong finish helps thePittsburgh Pirates into their first playoff berth since the 1992 season. The 23-year-old pitcher goes 4–0 in five September starts to tie for the league lead in wins, and also leads qualifying rookie pitchers with a 1.69 ERA, 39 strikeouts and 32 innings, while issuing only 10 walks and finishing second with a .212 opponents' batting average. Cole finishes his rookie season with a 10–7 record, 100 strikeouts, and a 3.22 ERA in117+1⁄3 innings of work.[129]
David Price pitches a seven-hit complete game andEvan Longoria contributes with three hits and two RBI, including one home run and a double, leading theTampa Bay Rays to a 5–2 win over theTexas Rangers, in the American League tiebreaker game at Rangers Ballpark. With the victory, Tampa Bay secures the second wild card spot and will visit theCleveland Indians in order to meet theBoston Red Sox in the American League Division Series.[130]
October 2 –Alex Cobb pitches6+2⁄3 scoreless innings in his first career postseason start, and theTampa Bay Rays move on to the American League Division Series after beating theCleveland Indians, 4–0, atProgressive Field. Over the course of four days, Tampa Bay had to win three consecutive games on the road at Toronto, Texas and Cleveland in order to avoid playoff elimination.Delmon Young hits his ninth postseason home run andDesmond Jennings adds a two-run RBI double, while three relievers combine for2+1⁄3 innings to complete the second postseason shutout in Tampa Bay franchise history. The Rays' other shutout was in Game 1 of the2011 American League Division Series against theTexas Rangers.[132]
October 7 – TheLos Angeles Dodgers take a 4–3 victory over theAtlanta Braves inGame 4 of the National League Division Series, and are propelled into the National League Championship Series for the first time since 2009.[133]
October 8 – TheBoston Red Sox defeat theTampa Bay Rays 3–1 inGame 4 of the American League Division Series, to advance to the American League Championship Series for the first time in five years.[134]
October 9 – TheSt. Louis Cardinals overcome thePittsburgh Pirates inGame 5 of the National League Division Series, 6–1, and head back to the National League Championship Series for the third straight year.[135]
October 10 – TheDetroit Tigers take charge of theOakland Athletics inGame 5 of the American League Division Series, 3–0, advancing to the American League Championship Series for the third consecutive season.[136]
October 13 – Down 5–1 late in the game,David Ortiz hits a game-tying grand slam and the game results in a walk-off win for theBoston Red Sox to tie the ALCS 1–1.[137]
October 18 – TheSt. Louis Cardinals score four times in the third and add five more runs in a disastrous fifth inning, en route to a 9–0 annihilation of theLos Angeles Dodgers and their aceClayton Kershaw inGame 6 of the National League Championship Series. The Cardinals, who fell one win shy a year ago, advance to the World Series for the second time in three years and the fourth time in the past decade.Michael Wacha (22), in his 12th big league start, beats Kershaw for the second time this series, allowing just two hits in seven scoreless innings and winning Most Valuable Player honors. Setup manCarlos Martínez (22) pitches a 1-2-3 eighth inning, while closerTrevor Rosenthal (23) retires the side in order in the ninth. All three Cardinals pitchers arerookies.[138]
October 19 – TheBoston Red Sox take a definitive 5–2 lead over theDetroit Tigers in the bottom of the seventh inning on aShane Victorino grand slam, to winGame 6 of the American League Championship Series and advance to the World Series for the third time in the last 10 years.Koji Uehara, who inherits the closer job after the team's first two choices were injured, delivers the last three outs and is named Most Valuable Player after posting threesaves and awin in the series.[139]
October 29 – Cuban defectorJosé Abreu agrees to a six-year, $68 million contract to play for theChicago White Sox. It is the largest deal ever handed out by an international free agent in Major League history, besting the six-year, $60 million contract theTexas Rangers gaveYu Darvish onJanuary 20, 2012.[140]
October 30 – TheBoston Red Sox defeat theSt. Louis Cardinals 6–1 atFenway Park and win their eighth World Series title and third in the last 10 seasons, to become the first team to win three world championship titles in the 21st century. Red Sox iconDavid Ortiz earns MVP honors. Ortiz becomes the first player sinceBaltimore Orioles pitcherJim Palmer in the1983 World Series to win three World Series rings with the same team and to have never played for the Yankees in his career. The last time Boston clinched the World Series atFenway Park was in1918, a 2–1 victory over theChicago Cubs in Game 6. The Red Sox also joined the1991 Minnesota Twins as the only teams to win a World Series following a last-place finish in the previous season.[141]
November 3 – TheTohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles clinch their firstJapan Series championship title in their nine-year history, blanking the defending championYomiuri Giants, 3–0, in a decisive Game 7. The Giants are the oldest and most successful team in Japanese baseball with 22 championships, and the Eagles win the title in their first trip to the championship series, providing a dramatic lift to an area still recovering from the devastatingearthquake and tsunami in March 2011.[142]
November 14 – Major League Baseball takes the first vote in a two-step process, unanimously approving funding for expandedinstant replay in the2014 MLB season. They plan to approve the new rules when they meet on January 16 in Paradise Valley, Arizona, after agreements with the unions for umpires and players. The instant replay was first used by the NFL in 1986, the NHL in 1991, the NBA in 2002 and Wimbledon in 2006. Even the Little League World Series put replay in place for 2008. MLB allowed it starting August 2008 but in a limited manner, only to determine whether potential home runs were fair or cleared fences.[144]
December 4 –Joe Garagiola is named as the 2014 recipient of theBuck O'Neil Lifetime Achievement Award, presented every three years by theHall of Fame "for extraordinary efforts to enhance baseball's positive impact on society". He will receive the award on July 26, 2014, at the Hall of Fame Awards Presentation, the day before induction ceremonies. Garagiola, a former player and broadcaster who received the Hall'sFord C. Frick Award in 1991, was specifically cited for his role as a founder of two organizations—theBaseball Assistance Team, a charity which aids needy members of the professional baseball community, and the National Spit Tobacco Education Program, which advocates against the use ofsmokeless tobacco.[145]
December 9 – ManagersJoe Torre,Tony La Russa andBobby Cox are elected to theHall of Fame, and will be inducted on July 27, 2014. The three managers, who won a combined 7,558 wins and eight World Series, are all unanimously selected by the 16 voters on theExpansion Era Committee. Torre won 2,326 games and four World Series (1996,1998,1999 and2000) with the New York Yankees; La Russa won 2,728 games and three World Series, in1989 with the Oakland Athletics and in2006 and2011 with the St. Louis Cardinals; Cox won 2,504 games and led the Atlanta Braves to 14 consecutive division titles and the1995 World Series title.[146]
December 10 –Roger Angell, senior editor forThe New Yorker, is announced as the 2014 recipient of theJ. G. Taylor Spink Award, awarded by theBaseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) "for meritorious contributions to baseball writing." He will also receive his award at the Awards Presentation. Angell, who has written on the sport for more than 50 years, has published multiple best-selling books that included many of hisNew Yorker pieces. He is also the first recipient of the Spink Award to have never been a BBWAA member.[147]
December 11 –Eric Nadel, radio announcer for theTexas Rangers since1979. is named as the 2014 recipient of theFord C. Frick Award, presented by the Hall of Fame for broadcasting excellence. He will also receive his award at the Awards Presentation.[148]
December 15 – Researchers at theBoston University School of Medicine determine thatRyan Freel, at the time of his death, had stage twochronic traumatic encephalopathy; a progressive degenerative disease better known as CTE. Freel was found dead at hisJacksonville, Florida home as a result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound on December 22,2012. He is reported as the first Major League Baseball player diagnosed with CTE.
December 16 – Major League Baseball and Nippon Professional Baseball announce major changes to theposting system under which NPB teams can offer players currently under contract and not yet eligible for free agency to MLB teams. The most significant changes are:[149]
Instead of posting fees set by a blind bidding process among MLB teams, fees will be set by NPB teams, with a cap of US$20 million.
Once posted, a player can negotiate with any MLB team willing to pay the fee during a 30-day window. Previously, a player could only negotiate with the team that submitted the highest posting fee. As in the previous scheme, the fee is paid only if an MLB team ultimately signs the player.
December 22 –Alex Cabrera of theTiburones de La Guaira blasted a historic home run in the Venezuelan League, breaking the league's 33-year-old record for the most home runs in a season set byLeones del Caracas' catcherBo Díaz. Cabrera hit his 21st homer of the season in his 57th game, a grand slam off pitcherDaryl Thompson, in a 4–3 victory over theCaribes de Anzoátegui. With four games left on La Guaira's regular-season schedule, Cabrera is on pace to become the first Triple Crown winner in the 67-year history of the league. At this point, he is leading the circuit in homers with a .396 batting average and 58 RBI.[150]
January 2 –Lee Eilbracht, 88, baseball coach at University of Illinois and a Chicago Cubs minor league player, who won four Big Ten titles during his coaching career, served as an analyst on baseball broadcasts, and was hired as an adviser for the 1992 filmA League of Their Own.
January 5 –Joe Padilla, 48, National League umpire during the 1995 season.
January 7 –Jim Cosman, 69, pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs in parts of three seasons between 1966 and 1970.
January 7 –Al Kenders, 75, catcher for the 1961 Philadelphia Phillies.
January 11 –Fred Talbot, 71, pitcher who played from 1963 through 1970 for the Chicago White Sox, Kansas City and Oakland Athletics, New York Yankees and Seattle Pilots.
January 12 –Bubba Harris, 86, pitcher who played for the Philadelphia Athletics and Cleveland Indians in part of three seasons spanning 1948–1951.
January 13 –Enzo Hernández, 63, Venezuelan shortstop who played from 1971 through 1978 for the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers.
January 15 –Bill Glynn, 87, first baseman who played for the Philadelphia Phillies and Cleveland Indians in part of five seasons spanning 1949–54.
January 19 –Milt Bolling, 82, shortstop who spent seven seasons in the majors from 1952 to 1958, and afterwards worked for the Boston Red Sox organization during 30 years.
January 19 –Stan Musial, 92, one of the best hitters in Major League history and a Hall of Fame outfielder/first baseman, who spent a 22-year career with the St. Louis Cardinals spanning 1941–1963, one of the players from theMLB All-century team, taking seven National League batting titles and three MVP awards, while helping the Cardinals capture four NL Pennants and three World Series titles in the 1940s.
January 19 –Earl Weaver, 82, Hall of Fame manager who won 1,480 games as Baltimore Orioles skipper, while leading the team to the World Series four times over 17 seasons, winning the Series championship title in1970.
January 20 –Ron Fraser, 79, College Baseball Hall of Fame coach, who posted a 1,271–438–9 record for theMiami Hurricanes from 1963 through 1992, including two CWS tiles in1982 and1985.
January 23 –Ed Bouchee, 79, first baseman who played with the Philadelphia Phillies from 1956 to 1960 and the Chicago Cubs in 1960 and 1961 before joining the New York Mets in 1962.
January 24 –Harry Taylor, 77, relief pitcher for the 1957 Kansas City Athletics.
January 27 –Chuck Hinton, 78, All-Star outfielder who played between 1961 and 1968 for the Washington Senators, Cleveland Indians and California Angels.
January 27 –Barney Mussill, 93, relief pitcher for the 1944 Philadelphia Phillies.
January 28 –Lonnie Goldstein, 94, first baseman who played with the Cincinnati Reds in parts of the 1943 and 1946 seasons.
January 28 –Earl Williams, 64, 1971 National League Rookie of the Year, and catcher from 1970 to 1977 for the Atlanta Braves, Baltimore Orioles, Montreal Expos and Oakland Athletics.
January 30 –George Witt, 79, pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Los Angeles Angels and Houston Colt .45's from 1957 to 1962.
January 31 –Tony Pierce, 67, pitcher for the Kansas City/Oakland Athletics in 1967 and 1968.
January 31 –Fred Whitfield, 75, first baseman who played from 1962 through 1970 for the St. Louis Cardinals, Cleveland Indians, Cincinnati Reds and Montreal Expos.
February 2 –Lavonne Paire Davis, 88, All-Star catcher who set several batting and fielding records during her 11-year career in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, as well as an inspiration for the central character in the 1992 filmA League of Their Own.
February 2 –Edith Houghton, 100, former baseball prodigy and first female scout in Major League history.
February 3 –Steve Demeter, 78, infielder for the 1959 Detroit Tigers and the 1960 Cleveland Indians, who also was an eight-time minor league All-Star, managed a first-place team in the Carolina League, coached in the majors, and gained induction to the International League Hall of Fame.
February 5 –Shelby Whitfield, 77, sports director for Associated Press Radio and ABC Radio, and play-by-play announcer for the Washington Senators from 1969 to 1970.
February 10 –Jake Thies, 86, pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates during the 1954–1955 seasons.
February 17 –Sophie Kurys, 87, All-American Girls Professional Baseball League MVP and four-time All-Star, a speedy infielder who set several all-time records, including 1,114 career stolen bases and five steals in a single game.
February 20 –Neil Wilson, 77, catcher for the 1960 San Francisco Giants.
February 22 –Mario Ramírez, 55, Puerto Rican infielder who played with the New York Mets and San Diego Padres from 1980 to 1985.
February 26 –Mickey Stubblefield, 86, Negro League pitcher who in 1952 became the first African American to play in theKentucky–Illinois–Tennessee League, being later drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates after integration.
February 28 –Pompeyo Davalillo, 84, Venezuelan infielder for the 1953 Washington Senators.
March 7 –Ray Martin, 87, pitcher for the Boston Braves in parts of three seasons spanning 1943–1948.
March 7 –Jake Striker, 79, pitcher who played from 1959 to 1960 with the Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox.
March 7 –Carl Thomas, 80, pitcher for the 1960 Cleveland Indians.
March 13 –Ducky Detweiler, 94, third baseman who played for the Boston Braves in the 1942 and 1946 seasons.
March 14 –Jack Curran, 82, two-sport coach and member of nine different Halls of Fame, who won more basketball and baseball games (2,491) than any high school coach in United States history.
March 16 –Yadier Pedroso, 26, pitcher for the Cuban national baseball team, who played in the 2006 and 2013 World Baseball Classic editions.
March 18 –Earl Hersh, 80, reserve outfielder for the 1956 Milwaukee Braves.
March 21 –Joe B. Scott, 92, Negro League outfielder who played from 1938 to 1956 for the New York Black Yankees, Pittsburgh Crawfords, Chicago American Giants and Memphis Red Sox.
March 23 –Virgil Trucks, 95, two-time All-Star pitcher who helped the Detroit Tigers clinch the1945 World Series title, and one of five pitchers to throw two no-hitters in a major league season.
March 25 –Lou Sleater, 86, left-handed knuckleballer for six teams between 1950 and 1958, and also one of 10 pitchers to hit awalk-off home run since 1957.[151]
March 28 –Gus Triandos, 82, four-time All-Star catcher who played from 1953 through 1965 for five different teams, most prominently with the Baltimore Orioles.
March 30 –Bob Turley, 82, three-time All-Star and Cy Young Award-winning pitcher, who lifted the New York Yankees, trailing 3 games to 1, to a come-from-behind victory over the Milwaukee Braves in the1958 World Series.
April 1 –Norm Gigon, 74, utility player for the 1967 Chicago Cubs.
April 1 –Bob Smith, 82, pitcher for the Red Sox, Cardinals, Pirates and Tigers in part of four seasons spanning 1955–1959.
April 11 –Grady Hatton, 90, third baseman for six teams in 12 seasons from 1946 to 1960, and later a manager for the Houston Astros from 1966 to 1968.
April 12 –Takumi Otomo, 88, Japanese Baseball League and NPB pitcher for the Yomiuri Giants and Kintetsu Buffalo from 1949 to 1960.
April 16 –Jack Daniels, 85, right fielder for the 1952 Boston Braves.
April 25 –Rick Camp, 59, relief pitcher for the Atlanta Braves during nine seasons between 1976 and 1985.
April 27 –Brad Lesley, 54, relief pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds and Milwaukee Brewers from 1982 to 1985, who in 1986 became the first American closer to pitch in Japan when he signed with theHankyu Braves.
May 3 –Joe Astroth, 90, backup catcher for the Philadelphia/Kansas City Athletics in a span of 10 seasons between 1945 and 1956, who also served during World War II.
May 11 –Mike Davison, 67, pitcher for the San Francisco Giants in the 1969 and 1970 seasons.
May 15 –Fred White, 76, Kansas City Royals broadcaster over 25 years, who helped call six division championships, an American League pennant in 1980 and the Royals' World Series championship in1985.
May 16 –Frankie Librán, 65, Puerto Rican infielder who played briefly with the San Diego Padres during the 1969 season, who also excelled in Puerto Rican baseball, basketball, volleyball, track and field, and softball.[152]
May 18 –Neil Chrisley, 81, outfielder who played from 1957 to 1961 with the Washington Senators, Detroit Tigers and Milwaukee Braves.
May 21 –Cot Deal, 90, pitcher for the Red Sox and Cardinals in part of four seasons spanning 1947–1954, who spent 48 years in baseball as a player (20), manager (5), coach (22) and executive (1).
May 23 –Epy Guerrero, 71, Dominican MLB scout who worked for the Astros, Yankees, Blue Jays and Brewers organizations.
May 23 –Luis Zuloaga, 90, legendary Venezuelan professional pitcher, who played in winter baseball, the Caribbean Series, and led the Venezuela national team to win the gold medal in two Baseball World Cup tournaments.
May 24 –John Miles, 90, legendary Negro League slugger inducted into a number of Hall of Fames, who gained notoriety by hitting 11 home runs in an 11-game span.
May 25 –Lewis Yocum, 65, orthopedic surgeon who achieved prestige by extending the careers of several Major League Baseball players.
May 26 –Larry Johnson, 62, backup catcher who played with the Cleveland Indians, Montreal Expos and Chicago White Sox in parts of five seasons between 1972 and 1978.
May 31 –Richie Phillips, 73, general counsel and executive director of the Major League Umpires Association from 1978 to 2000.
June 6 –Elmer Guckert, 84, replacement umpire who worked one MLB game, at Pittsburgh on May 21, 1976, when unionized umpires refused to cross a picket line set up at Three Rivers Stadium by food-service workers.
June 15 –Stan Lopata, 87, All-Star catcher for the Philadelphia Phillies, who holds single-season records for the most triples (7) and home runs (32) by a Phillies catcher, which he set in 1956.
June 18 –Gene Freese, 79, third baseman for six different teams during 12 seasons, who posted career numbers with 26 home runs and 87 RBIs in 1961, to help the Cincinnati Reds win their first National League pennant since 1940.
June 19 –Danny Kravitz, 82, backup catcher who played from 1956 through 1960 for the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Kansas City Athletics.
June 26 –Justin Miller, 35, pitcher who played with the Blue Jays, Marlins, Giants and Dodgers from 2002 to 2010, and for the NPBChiba Lotte Marines in 2006.
July 8 –Dick Gray, 81, third baseman for the Los Angeles Dodgers and St. Louis Cardinals from 1958 to 1960, who became the first Dodgers player to hit a home run after the club moved to Los Angeles for the 1958 season.
July 14 –Matt Batts, 91, defensive specialist catcher who played from 1947 through 1956 for the Boston Red Sox, Detroit Tigers, St. Louis Browns, Chicago White Sox and Cincinnati Redlegs.
July 16 –Marv Rotblatt, 85, pitcher for the Chicago White Sox in parts of three seasons spanning 1948–1951, who was also the inspiration forCarleton College's annual 100-inning, one-day, nine-hour marathon softball game they christenedRotblatt in the spring of 1967.[154]
July 26 –Bob Savage, 91, pitcher for the Philadelphia Athletics and St. Louis Browns in part of five seasons spanning 1942–1949.
July 28 –Frank Castillo, 44, pitcher who spent seven seasons with the Chicago Cubs, and a member of the2004 Boston Red Sox World Series Champions.
July 28 –Drungo Hazewood, 53, backup outfielder who played briefly for the 1980 Baltimore Orioles.
July 28 –George Scott, 69, a three-time All-Star first baseman and eight-time Gold Glove winner who played from 1966 through 1979 with four teams, most prominently for the Boston Red Sox, whose career included an American-League-leading 36 home runs and 109 RBIs in 1975 as a Milwaukee Brewer.
August 17 –Rod Craig, 55, backup outfielder who played with the Seattle Mariners, Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox in parts of four seasons spanning 1979–1986.
August 17 –Jack Harshman, 96, pitcher for four teams between 1952 and 1960, mainly for the Chicago White Sox from 1954 to 1957, who holds the White Sox's single-game record by striking out 16 Boston Red Sox in 1954; hurled a 1–0, 16-inning shutout against the Detroit Tigers in the same season, and threw a one-hit, 1–0 shutout over the Baltimore Orioles in 1956.
August 28 –Frank Pulli, 78, National League umpire from 1972 to 1999, who officiated in four World Series and two All-Star games, as well as 3,774 regular games along with other playoff series; also the first umpire in MLB history to useinstant replay to reverse a home run call in 1999; also worked on the field forRoberto Clemente's 3,000th hit in 1972, and forHank Aaron's record-breaking 715th home run in 1974.
September 6 –Santiago Rosario, 74, Puerto Rican first baseman and corner outfielder who played for the Kansas City Athletics in the 1965 season.
September 13 –Dan Osinski, 79, middle relief pitcher for the Kansas City Athletics, Milwaukee Braves, Boston Red Sox, Chicago White Sox and Houston Astros in parts of eight seasons spanning 1962–1970.
September 19 –Hiroshi Yamauchi, 85, Japanese businessman and majority owner of the Seattle Mariners since 1992.
September 20 –Walt Linden, 89, backup catcher for the 1950 Boston Braves.
September 25 –Bill Stewart, 85, outfielder for the 1955 Kansas City Athletics.
September 26 –Denis Brodeur, 82, iconic Canadian sports photographer and baseball author.
September 27 –Gates Brown, 74, outfielder for the Detroit Tigers in 13 seasons from 1963 through 1975, who hit ahome run in his first MLB at bat and also was part of two World Series championships, winning as a player in1968 and a coach in1984.
October 1 –Ellis Burton, 77, center fielder who played with the St. Louis Cardinals, Cleveland Indians and Chicago Cubs in parts of five seasons spanning 1958–1965.
October 1 –Tom Clancy, 66, best-selling novelist who was a minority owner of the Baltimore Orioles from 1993 until his death.
October 3 –Bob Chance, 73, first baseman who played from 1963 to 1969 with the Cleveland Indians, Washington Senators and California Angels.
October 8 –Andy Pafko, 92, five-time All-Star center fielder who posted a .285 average with 213 home runs and 976 RBIs in 17 seasons for the Chicago Cubs, Brooklyn Dodgers and Milwaukee Braves, while also appearing in 24 World Series games, including theCubs' visit to the Series in 1945.
October 13 –Mario Picone, 87, pitcher for the New York Giants and Cincinnati Redlegs in part of three seasons spanning 1947–1954.
October 14 –Wally Bell, 48, veteran umpire during 21 Major League Baseball seasons who worked the2006 World Series, three All-Star Games, four league championship series, and seven division series, as well as the first active MLB umpire to die sinceJohn McSherry died on the field onOpening Day in 1996.
October 15 –Rudy Minarcin, 83, pitcher who appeared in 70 games from 1955 to 1957 for the Cincinnati Redlegs and Boston Red Sox, previously a two-sport star at Vandergrift High School, and also a Korean War veteran.
October 22 –Mark Small, 45, relief pitcher for the Houston Astros during the 1996 season.
October 27 –Eddie Erautt, 89, pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds and St. Louis Cardinals in a span of six seasons from 1947 to 1953.
October 28 –Tetsuharu Kawakami, 93, Japanese player who won five batting titles, two home run crowns, three RBI titles and had six titles for the most hits in a season, while leading theYomiuri Giants to nine consecutive championships from 1965 to 1973 as a manager.
October 30 –Bill Currie, 84, relief pitcher for the 1955 Washington Senators.
October 31 –Johnny Kucks, 80, pitcher for the New York Yankees and Kansas City Athletics from 1955 to 1960, who hurled a three-hit shutout in a 9–0 Yankees victory against the Brooklyn Dodgers in Game 7 of the1956 World Series, in the last World Series game ever played atEbbets Field.
November 2 –Russ Sullivan, 90, outfielder for the Detroit Tigers from 1951 to 1953, whose mammoth home run into the third deck ofBriggs Stadium's right field pavilion in 1952 helped Detroit pitcherHal Newhouser win his 200th career game.
November 6 –Ace Parker, 101, shortstop who played 94 games for the 1937–1938 Philadelphia Athletics; at his death, the second oldest surviving Major League player; star football player for Duke University and three NFL teams, and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
November 8 –Rod Miller, 73, pinch-hitter for the Brooklyn Dodgers in the 1957 season.
November 17 –Zeke Bella, 83, backup outfielder who played for the New York Yankees in 1957 and the Kansas City Athletics in 1959.
November 19 –Babe Birrer, 85, pitcher for the Detroit Tigers, Baltimore Orioles and Los Angeles Dodgers in a span of three seasons from 1955 to 1958, who also had a distinguished 18-year career in the Minor leagues, Canadian baseball and the Caribbean winter leagues.
November 21 –Mike Palagyi, 96, relief pitcher for the 1939 Washington Senators.
November 21 –Michael Weiner, 51, executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association since 2009, who led the negotiations in 2011 for the then-current collective bargaining agreement, which ran through 2016.
November 21 –George Werley, 75, relief pitcher for the 1956 Baltimore Orioles.
November 23 –Al Forman, 85, National League umpire who worked in 778 games during a seven-year career, including the 1962 MLB All-Star Game.
November 24 –Charlie Bicknell, 85, pitcher who played from 1948 to 1949 for the Philadelphia Phillies.
November 25 –Lou Brissie, 89, a decorated World War II hero who overcame serious combat injuries to become an All-Star pitcher, while playing for the Philadelphia Athletics and the Cleveland Indians between the 1947 and 1953 seasons.
December 10 –Don Lund, 90, outfielder for the Brooklyn Dodgers, St. Louis Browns and Detroit Tigers between 1945 and 1954, and also a University of Michigan three-sport athlete and Hall of Honor inductee.
December 10 –Pete Naton, 82, backup catcher for the 1953 Pittsburgh Pirates.
December 12 –Jim Burton, 64, Boston Red Sox relief pitcher who posted a 1–2 record with a 2.75 ERA and one save in the 1975 and 1977 seasons, who is better known for being the losing pitcher in Game 7 of the1975 World Series.
ESDecember 22 –Ed Herrmann, 67, All-Star catcher who played for five different teams in 11 seasons spanning 1967–1978, most prominently with the Chicago White Sox.
December 22 –Bill Tremel, 84, relief pitcher who played from 1954 through 1956 for the Chicago Cubs.
December 25 –Mike Hegan, 71,first baseman andoutfielder with the New York Yankees,Seattle Pilots, Milwaukee Brewers & Oakland Athletics, and later a longtime broadcaster with the Brewers & Cleveland Indians. He was the son of longtime IndianscatcherJim Hegan.
December 26 –Paul Blair, 69, All-Star and eight-time Gold Glove center fielder, who played for the Baltimore Orioles, New York Yankees and Cincinnati Reds in 17 seasons spanning 1964–1980, and also a member of four World Series champion teams.
