Boston Red Sox legend Luis Tiant has died at the age of 83, Major League Baseball announced Tuesday. Tiant, nicknamed “El Tiante,” won 229 games and had a career 3.36 ERA. The right-hander made his major league debut in 1964 with Cleveland. After pitching six years with Cleveland, he spent one season with Minnesota then eight years in Boston. After leaving the Red Sox, Tiant pitched for the Yankees (2 years), Pirates (1 year), and Angels (1 year) before retiring.
Tiant, who was born in Cuba, amassed four 20-win seasons and twice won the American League ERA title.
We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Luis Tiant. In a Major League career that spanned 19 seasons, “El Tiante” made three All-Star teams and won 20 or more games four times. Tiant won two ERA titles in the American League – one in 1968 for Cleveland, and another in… pic.twitter.com/wVNQj9f1pc
— MLB (@MLB) October 8, 2024
Luis Tiant Dies at 83
Tiant was the son of the great Nego Leagues and Cuban Leagues pitcher Luis Tiant Sr., making a name for himself in Cuba and Mexico before signing with the Cleveland Indians in 1961. When he joined the big league club in 1964, Tiant was an overnight success. He became a mainstay in the rotation and led the league in ERA in 1968, which is one of the greatest pitching seasons in baseball history. However, injuries did hurt Tiant’s chances to continue his career in his late 20s as he was traded in 1969 and released in 1971. In 1972, that’s when Tiant began the second chapter of his career, again leading the AL in ERA and making his second and third All-Star teams in 1974 and 1976.
Tiant helped the Red Sox win the AL pennant in 1975, winning Game 1 of the ALCS and pitching two complete games against the Cincinnati Reds in the World Series. He threw a shutout in Game 1, and the Red Sox won each of his three World Series starts, including his Game 6 start that ended with Carlton Fisk‘s iconic home run.
Tiant was inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame in 1997 and remained involved with the team, particularly in spring training. He spent 15 years on the national Hall of Fame ballot, never exceeding 30 percent of the vote.
Main Photo: © Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images
