Mickey Lolich , the portly left-hander who tossed three complete-game victories in the 1968 World Series, passed away on Wednesday. He was 85. The Associated Press was the first to break the story. The cause of death was not disclosed, but it was known that Lolich had been in hospice care.
We are saddened by the passing of three-time All-Star and 1968 World Series MVP Mickey Lolich.
Lolich spent 13 of his 16 Major League seasons with the Tigers, while also pitching for the Mets and Padres.
In 1968, Lolich hurled 3 complete game victories against St. Louis in the… pic.twitter.com/0mDbn1OxOo
— MLB (@MLB) February 4, 2026
Mickey Lolich has Passed Away at 85
Lolich, of course, was best known for his time with the Detroit Tigers, for whom he pitched from 1963-75. He pitched for the New York Mets in 1976, retired, and changed his mind, finishing with the San Diego Padres from 1978-79. He was just six-foot-one and 170 pounds during his playing days and looked more like a guy from your local bar’s bowling team than a major league ballplayer. But during his time, he was one of the best pitchers in baseball. For his career, he was 217-191 with a 3.44 ERA, 3.20 FIP, 1.227 WHIP, and 104 ERA+. The three-time All-Star posted double-digit wins in every season with Detroit except for his rookie year. He was a hard thrower who belied the image of the crafty left-hander.
Lolich’s best season was in 1971, when he was 25-14 with a 2.92 ERA and an astounding 29 complete games. That season, he led the majors with 45 starts, 376 innings pitched, and 308 strikeouts. He finished second in voting, 98-85, for the American League Cy Young Award to Vida Blue , who was 24-8 with a 1.82 ERA for the Oakland Athletics. Lolich and his manager, Billy Martin , were vocal in their belief that Lolich was robbed. Lolich followed up that performance with a 22-14 record and 2.50 ERA in 1972, finishing third in the Cy Young vote.
The 1968 World Series
Regardless of that two-year stretch, it’s his performance in the 1968 World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals for which Lolich will always be remembered. That was the Year of the Pitcher. During the regular season, Lolich was 17-9 with a 3.19 ERA. He would have been the ace on many other pitching staffs, but that was the year Denny McLain was 31-6. However, McLain logged 336 innings that season compared to Lolich’s 220, and was tired by the time the World Series rolled around. Lolich would finally emerge from McLain’s shadow.
Besides the anticipated matchups between McLain and Cardinals ace Bob Gibson , who was 22-9 with a 1.12 ERA , it was a bold move by Tigers manager Mayo Smith that got attention. He needed to find a way to get his four star outfielders, Willie Horton , Al Kaline , Jim Northrup , and Mickey Stanley , in the lineup at the same time. He decided that Stanley would play shortstop, a position he hadn’t played in the majors until August 23 of that year. The regular shortstop, Ray Oyler , hadn’t had a hit after July 13, making it an easy call for Smith.
Lolich the Slugger
After the Cardinals won Game 1 behind Gibson, Lolich defeated Nelson Briles in Game 2, 8-1. Lolich pitched a complete game six-hitter with nine strikeouts, but everybody wanted to talk about his hitting. He took Briles deep in the third inning for the only major league home run of his career, during which he was a .110 lifetime hitter.
Meanwhile, the highly anticipated Gibson-McLain pitching duels never materialized. McLain flamed out twice, and after Game 4, the Cardinals were ahead, 3-1, in games.
Lolich took the mound for Detroit and didn’t get off to the best start. He gave up three runs in the bottom of the first inning, including a two-run home run to Orlando Cepeda . McLain told the assembled media, “When Cepeda hit that pitch, I felt this was going to be a long, long day.” Lolich blamed the National Anthem for his rough first inning. “I wasn’t ready to pitch,” he explained. “They played the National Anthem sooner than I expected. I had thrown for [only] about five or six minutes.”
But Lolich settled down, and the Tigers cut the deficit to 3-2 after six-and-one-half innings. Then, strangely, Lolich’s bat came into play again. In the bottom of the seventh, Don Wert led off by striking out. Lolich expected to be pinch-hit for. Smith let him bat. In a brutally frank statement that no manager would make today, Smith said that he didn’t trust his bullpen to keep it close and thought he had a better chance with Lolich, even if he had to give up an out. But Lolich made him look like a genius, victimizing Briles again with a soft fly ball single into right field. By the time the side was retired, the Tigers had a 5-3 lead, which Lolich held onto to return the Series to Detroit.
A World Series MVP
The Tigers took Game 6 behind McLain, setting up a Game 7 matchup between Lolich and Gibson. St. Louis had to be confident with their ace on the mound. Gibson had won seven consecutive World Series starts, all complete games, including Game 7 in 1964 and 1967. Lolich and Gibson matched zeroes until the bottom of the seventh when the Tigers got two men on base with two outs. Northrup followed with a line drive to center field that center fielder Curt Flood misjudged. Northrup had a two-run triple and then scored on Bill Freehan ’s double. The score remained 3-0 until the two teams traded meaningless runs in the ninth. The Tigers won, 4-1, and Lolich had another complete game victory, scattering five hits.
In the Tigers’ raucous clubhouse, Lolich learned he was the Series MVP, the prize being a car – a Dodge Charger. Lolich, who preferred to ride his motorcycle, got confused in the excitement of victory. “I got two cars already. What do I need a car for? But I’ll take it. . . What am I saying? I have only one car. Now I got two. Man, am I mixed up.”
Mandatory Photo Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports