Other noteworthy outings
On September 18,1985,Mahler pitched 7+2⁄3 innings of one-hit relief to lead the Detroit Tigers to a 5–2 victory over the New York Yankees, thus denying a bid by Phil Niekro to win his 300th game. Mahler, who relieved Juan Berenguer after he got into trouble in the first inning, retired 23 of the 25 hitters he faced, including the first 15 hitters who came up against him. A former teammate of Niekro's, Mahler told reporters after the game that "The thing I remember most about (Niekro) is what a great guy he was. I didn't think about the Niekro thing at all. I hated to be the one to beat him but that's the game."
In that same game, New York Yankees manager Billy Martin sent left-handed-hitter Mike Pagliarulo up to bat right-handed against Mahler. Detroit Tigers catcher Bob Melvin was reported to have asked Pagliarulo, "What the hell are you doing?" Pagliarulo's reply: "I'm trying to get a base hit!" Ultimately, however, Pagliarulo took a called third strike.
On July 7, 1986, Mahler gave up the 2,000th hit to Dave Winfield.
On September 2, 1986, Mahler plunked Brett Butler in the shoulder and immediately was removed the game, which Mahler's Blue Jays lost 9–5 to the Cleveland Indians. He would only pitch in one more game.
Witticisms
Throughout his career, Mahler had a rapport with the press. In 1986, he told USA Today, "If I were commissioner, I'd send every major league player down to Triple-A after three years to see how good they have it now," only to be sent down to Triple-A the following day, on July 29, 1986.
In 1986, after hitting Cleveland's Brett Butler with a pitch, Mahler told reporters, "The thing is, the signal here for the fastball is the signal for the curve in Texas and Oklahoma. When I got the sign, my mind said 'curve.' I took my grip, went into the stretch, kicked up the leg and, right in the middle of my motion, it dawned on me 'fastball.' I wound up trying to change my grip mid-motion."
In reflecting on his career as a journeyman, Mahler told the Toronto Star in 1986: "It's not a pleasant way to spend a career, but the memories will be incredible. I've played with Reggie Jackson and Rod Carew and Dale Murphy, I've learned from Tom House and (Johnny) Sain, the two best pitching coaches in the business. I've been around, seen the best. It's not so bad a life. This is the best job in the world and I'll do anything they say - chalk the field before the game, sweep the dugout."
Gregory Alan Maddux, also known as "Mad Dog" and "The Professor," is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 23 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for four teams. Maddux is best known for his accomplishments while playing for the Atlanta Braves and the Chicago Cubs. With the Braves, he won the 1995 World Series over the Cleveland Indians. The first to achieve a number of feats and records, he was the first pitcher in major league history to win the Cy Young Award four consecutive years (1992–1995), matched by only one other pitcher, Randy Johnson. During those four seasons, Maddux had a 75–29 record with a 1.98 earned run average (ERA), while allowing less than one baserunner per inning.
Philip Henry Niekro, nicknamed "Knucksie", was an American baseball pitcher who played 24 seasons in Major League Baseball, 20 of them with the Milwaukee / Atlanta Braves. Niekro's 318 career victories are the most by a knuckleballer and rank 16th on MLB's all-time wins list. He won the National League Gold Glove Award five times, was selected to five All-Star teams, and led the league in victories twice and earned run average once. He was a key contributor to the Braves winning their only two division titles before 1991. Niekro was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1997.
Joseph Franklin Niekro was an American Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He was the younger brother of pitcher Phil Niekro, and the father of former Major League first baseman Lance Niekro. Niekro was born in Martins Ferry, Ohio, and attended Bridgeport High School in Bridgeport, Ohio, and West Liberty University in West Liberty, West Virginia. During a 22-year baseball career, he pitched from 1967 to 1988 for seven different teams, primarily for the Houston Astros.
John Scott Morris is an American former professional baseball starting pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) between 1977 and 1994, mainly for the Detroit Tigers. Morris won 254 games throughout his career.
John Andrew Smoltz, nicknamed "Smoltzie" and "Marmaduke", is an American former baseball pitcher who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball from 1988 to 2009, all but the last year with the Atlanta Braves. An eight-time All-Star, Smoltz was part of a celebrated trio of starting pitchers, along with Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine, who propelled Atlanta to perennial pennant contention in the 1990s, highlighted by a championship in the 1995 World Series. He won the National League (NL) Cy Young Award in 1996 after posting a record of 24–8, equaling the most victories by an NL pitcher since 1972. Though predominantly known as a starter, Smoltz was converted to a reliever in 2001 after his recovery from Tommy John surgery, and spent four years as the team's closer before returning to a starting role. In 2002, he set a National League record with 55 saves and became only the second pitcher in history to record both a 20-win season and a 50-save season. He is the only pitcher in Major League history to record both 200 wins and 150 saves.
Richard Keith Mahler was a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds (1989–1990) and Montreal Expos (1991). His brother Mickey was a major league pitcher as well; the two were Braves teammates in 1979. The brothers had also played together for the Triple-A Richmond Braves.
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John Joseph Mizerock is an American former Major League Baseball backup catcher for the Houston Astros and the Atlanta Braves. He was the eighth overall pick in the 1979 Major League Baseball Draft. He later served as a coach for the Kansas City Royals and Philadelphia Phillies. He is currently the hitting coach for the Clearwater Threshers.
Joshua Aaron Wilson is an American former professional baseball infielder. Wilson is a Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania native. He was part of the 1998 Pennsylvania state championship baseball team and Pennsylvania Player of the Year. Wilson played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Florida Marlins, Washington Nationals, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Arizona Diamondbacks, San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners, Milwaukee Brewers, Texas Rangers and Detroit Tigers.
Jair Francoise Jurrjens is a Dutch-Curaçaoan professional baseball pitcher for the Acereros de Monclova of the Mexican League. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Detroit Tigers, Atlanta Braves, Baltimore Orioles, and Colorado Rockies, and in the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) for the Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions. He pitched for Team Netherlands in the 2017 World Baseball Classic.
Frederick Alfred Porcello III is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Detroit Tigers, Boston Red Sox and New York Mets.
The 1987 Atlanta Braves season was the 117th in franchise history and their 22nd in Atlanta. The team introduced new uniforms this season harkening back to the 1950s, which, with a slight change made in 2019, continue to be the team's uniforms to this day, replacing their pullover jersey/beltless pants combo worn since 1980.
Kristopher Shane Keller is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the majority of his career in the Detroit Tigers organization.
Julio Alberto Teherán Pinto is a Colombian professional baseball pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Angels, and Detroit Tigers. Teherán was signed by the Braves as an international free agent in 2007.
Joe Alexander Jiménez is a Puerto Rican professional baseball pitcher for the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut with the Detroit Tigers in 2017 and was an All-Star in 2018.
Spencer Robert Strider is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played college baseball for the Clemson Tigers, and was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the fourth round of the 2020 Major League Baseball Draft. He made his MLB debut in 2021.
