Events
January
- January 5 – The New York Yankees acquire pitcher Pete Filson and infielder Randy Velarde from the Chicago White Sox in exchange for pitcher Scott Nielsen and minor-league infielder Mike Soper.
- January 6 – The second off-season of the collusion era resumes when right-hander Jim Clancy, a 14-game winner, agrees to return to the Toronto Blue Jays and infielder Phil Garner remains a member of the Houston Astros. Both had been part of the free-agent class of November 12, 1986. The signings occur two days before a deadline that will bar free-agent players from negotiating with their 1986 teams until May 1, 1987. [1]
- January 7 – The Baltimore Orioles sign four-time former American League All-Star shortstop Rick Burleson, 35, granted free agency from the California Angels last November 12.
- January 8
- The Angels re-sign two veteran starting players who had been granted free agency on November 12: third baseman Doug DeCinces and left-fielder Brian Downing. Both players are 36 and return to the defending AL West champions at today's signing deadline.
- The New York Yankees re-sign two November 12 veteran free agents: pitcher Tommy John, 43, and second baseman Willie Randolph, 32, on "deadline day." John will win 13 games and Randolph will make the All-Star team for the 1987 Yankees.
- Free-agent and starting catcher Ernie Whitt returns to the Toronto Blue Jays, accepting a "lesser contract" rather than wait until May 1 to re-open negotiations with the team. [2] An "original Blue Jay," Whitt, 34, will start 113 games for Toronto in 1987, his 11th season.
- The Cincinnati Reds trade starting center-fielder Eddie Milner to the San Francisco Giants for pitcher Frank Williams and two minor-league hurlers, Timber Mead and Mike Villa.
- January 9
- The expiration of the "sign, sit out, or split" deadline imposed by the collusion-era CBA leaves these marquee November 12 free agents unable to continue contract talks with their 1986 teams until May 1: Doyle Alexander and Bob Horner (Atlanta Braves); Bob Boone (California Angels); André Dawson and Tim Raines, both future Hall of Famers (Montreal Expos); Rich Gedman (Boston Red Sox); Ron Guidry (New York Yankees); and Lance Parrish (Detroit Tigers). The eight have declined salary arbitration and opted to "test the market"—but have received no offers from teams other than their own. [3]
- The Minnesota Twins sign relief pitcher Juan Berenguer, who had been unconditionally released by the San Francisco Giants last December 19. Berenguer will win eight of nine decisions and add four saves for the surprising 1987 Twins.
- January 14 – The Baseball Writers' Association of America elects outfielder Billy Williams (354 votes) and pitcher Catfish Hunter (315) to the Hall of Fame.
- January 19 – The St. Louis Cardinals sign veteran left-handers Ken Dayley and Dave LaPoint; the Redbirds had unconditionally released Dayley on December 17; former Cardinal LaPoint had been released by the San Diego Padres on December 18.
- January 20
- Left-hander Vida Blue returns to the site of his brilliant early career when the Oakland Athletics sign him as a free agent. Now 37, he had been granted freedom to test the market on November 12, 1986, after spending the past two seasons with the cross-bay San Francisco Giants. With Oakland, Blue had dazzled baseball with his breakthrough 1971 season (24–8, 1.72), and the 1971 American League Most Valuable Player and Cy Young Awards; he then posted two other 20-win seasons through 1976, and won three World Series rings. However, one month from today, Blue will abruptly retire from the game.
- The Milwaukee Brewers obtain outfielder Brad Komminsk from the Atlanta Braves for outfielder Dion James.
- January 23 – Peter Bavasi steps down as president of the Cleveland Indians, months after the franchise's most successful season, on- and off- the field, since 1968. Bavasi, 44, spent two seasons as the Indians' chief executive and, despite 1986's results, proved to be an unpopular figure among fans and media. [4]
- January 30 – The Chicago Cubs trade third baseman Ron Cey to the Oakland Athletics for infielder Luis Quiñones.
February
- February 2 – The Toronto Blue Jays trade second baseman Dámaso García and pitcher Luis Leal to the Atlanta Braves for right-hander Craig McMurtry. García, 29, is a two-time former American League All-Star but a knee injury will sideline him for the entire 1987 season.
- February 3 – The Minnesota Twins acquire ace closer Jeff Reardon and catcher Tom Nieto from the Montreal Expos for pitchers Neal Heaton, Yorkis Pérez and Al Cardwood and catcher Jeff Reed. Reardon will win eight games and save 31 others for the 1987 Twins.
- February 4 – Lefty Atlee Hammaker, who missed the entire 1986 season with his second rotator cuff surgery, returns to the San Francisco Giants as a free agent. The former All-Star and National League ERA king, 29, will win ten games for the 1987 Giants.
- February 5 – The Giants add another southpaw, Joe Price, granted free agency from the Cincinnati Reds on November 12.
- February 6 – The Cleveland Indians sign catcher Rick Dempsey, 37, granted free agency from the Baltimore Orioles, also last November 12, after 11 seasons in Baltimore.
- February 12 – The Orioles sign third baseman and reigning World Series MVP Ray Knight, granted free agency from the New York Mets as part of the "Class of 1986". He reportedly signs for $600,000—which is $200,000 less than what the Mets had offered him before free agency. [5]
- February 13
- The Houston Astros sign left-hander Juan Agosto, unconditionally released by the Minnesota Twins last December 20.
- Catcher Rick Cerone returns to the New York Yankees after a two-year absence; he had been granted free agency from the Milwaukee Brewers on November 12.
- February 16 – The Montreal Expos sign right-hander Pascual Pérez as a free agent. He had sat out last season after his April 1, 1986, release from the Atlanta Braves. Known for unpredictable behavior and struggles with drug addiction, Pérez will be recalled from Triple-A on August 22 and pitch brilliantly for the Expos, posting a 7–0 (2.30) record in ten starts through season's end. [6]
- February 17 – The Cincinnati Reds obtain left-hander Guy Hoffman from the Chicago Cubs for infielder Wade Rowdon.
- February 20
- The Major League Baseball Players Association files a new grievance—soon to be dubbed "Collusion II"—contending that the 26 MLB owners are acting in concert to hinder the bargaining power of the free-agent "Class of 1986," reducing salary and contract term offers, and restricting their ability to change teams. A previous grievance focusing on November 1985's free agents was filed one year ago. [7] [8]
- The Minnesota Twins acquire utility infielder Al Newman from the Montreal Expos for minor-league pitcher Mike Shade. Newman will win two World Series rings (1987, 1991) as a Twin.
- February 23 – On the third day of spring training workouts in Fort Myers, Florida, Dick Howser resigns as manager of the Kansas City Royals. Battling brain cancer, Howser underwent surgeries in July and December 1986 with the goal of returning to the Royals' bench, but extreme fatigue takes its toll. Billy Gardner, former Minnesota Twins skipper, succeeds him. [9] Howser will undergo brain surgery a third time in March; he succumbs at 51 on June 17. [10] (See Deaths, below.)
- February 24 – Darrell Evans, who led the Detroit Tigers with 29 homers in 1986 before being released on December 20, agrees to return to the Tigers on an estimated $525,000 contract—a 33% pay cut. [11] With collusion now an open secret, the 39-year-old veteran reportedly had no other teams interested in signing him. [12]
- February 25
- Baseball Commissioner Peter Ueberroth suspends San Diego Padres pitcher LaMarr Hoyt for the full 1987 season. Hoyt had been arrested on drug possession charges three times during 1986, and was sentenced to 45 days in jail on December 16. An arbitrator will cut Hoyt's suspension to sixty days on June 16 and order the Padres to reinstate him; the team, however, will release him unconditionally the next day. Hoyt will face a new drug possession charge in his native South Carolina in December 1987. [13]
- Strikeout-prone slugger Steve Balboni agrees to return to the Kansas City Royals for a reported 20% pay increase. [14] Balboni, a free agent, had been released by the Royals on December 22.
- February 27 – Right-hander Bryn Smith, who slipped from 18 wins in 1985 to ten last season, then was released by the Montreal Expos on December 20, signs a free agent contract to return to the club for 1987. He takes a 33% pay cut. [15]
March
- March 3 – Ray Dandridge, 73, a third baseman and three-time All-Star who played mainly for Newark of the Negro National League between 1933 and 1944, is the only player elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum by its Special Veterans Committee.
- March 6
- The collusion-driven stalemate involving eight premier players granted free agency last November 12 is broken when the Chicago Cubs sign right-fielder and future Hall of Famer André Dawson, 32, to a one-year contract ultimately worth $700,000, including bonuses—a 33% cut from his 1986 compensation from the Montreal Expos. [16] [17] Dawson—who on March 2 had dared the Cubs to sign him for any price—will respond with a banner 1987 season: he leads the National League in home runs and runs batted in, and wins the NL MVP Award, a Gold Glove, and a berth on the All-Star team; he'll then ink a three-year, $6 million contract in 1988. The Cubs, however, finish last in the NL East.
- Roger Clemens, the American League's reigning Most Valuable Player and Cy Young Award winner, walks out of the Boston Red Sox' spring training camp over a contract squabble; the pitcher seeks $1.3 million, and the club has offered $500,000. [18] Boston's general manager, Lou Gorman, shrugs off the brouhaha, famously saying, "The sun will rise, the sun will set, and I'll have lunch." [19] Clemens won't return to the Red Sox for 29 days; he will win 20 games and another Cy Young in 1987, but the Bosox finish under .500.
- March 13 – The Philadelphia Phillies sign catcher Lance Parrish; he becomes the second player among the "Unsigned Eight" elite free agents to receive a contract offer from a team other than his 1986 club—the result of collusion among the 26 MLB owners. Parrish, 30, is a ten-year veteran of the Detroit Tigers and six-time AL All-Star. His new contract pays him a lower base salary ($800,000 vs. $850,000) than he earned in Detroit, but incentives will edge the deal's AAV to $1 million. [20] [21]
- March 23 – The Cincinnati Reds sign outfielder/first baseman Terry Francona, granted free agency from the Chicago Cubs last October 18.
- March 26 – The Chicago White Sox trade pitcher Joe Cowley to the Philadelphia Phillies for outfielder Gary Redus. Cowley had won 11 games in 27 starts for Chicago in 1986, but he'll develop the "yips" as a Phillie, losing his first four starts, issuing 17 bases on balls and hitting two batters in only 112⁄3 innings pitched. He never again pitches in the majors after May 3, 1987. [22]
- March 27
- The New York Mets acquire right-hander David Cone and outfielder Chris Jelic from the Kansas City Royals for pitchers Rick Anderson and Mauro Gozzo and catcher Ed Hearn. Cone, 24, will win 81 games in a Met uniform between 1987 and 1992.
- The Chicago White Sox send outfielder John Cangelosi to the Pittsburgh Pirates for hurler Jim Winn.
- March 30 – The Chicago Cubs obtain catcher Jim Sundberg from the Kansas City Royals for pitcher Dave Gumpert and outfielder Thad Bosley. Sundberg, 35, is a six-time former Gold Glove Award winner and 3x former All-Star.
- March 31 – The Minnesota Twins acquire outfielder Dan Gladden and minor-league pitcher Dave Blakley from the San Francisco Giants for three hurlers: Bryan Hickerson, José Domínguez and Ray Velasquez. In Minnesota, Gladden will play a key role on two (1987, 1991) world championship teams.
April
- April 1 – A significant trade shakes up the NL East. The St. Louis Cardinals acquire four-time All-Star and 3x Gold-Glove-winning catcher Tony Peña from the division-rival Pittsburgh Pirates for pitcher Mike Dunne, catcher Mike LaValliere and outfielder Andy Van Slyke. Although Peña, 29 and in the prime of his career, has a subpar regular campaign in 1987, he helps the Cardinals return to the postseason, then bats a combined .395 (17-for-43) in 14 games during the NLCS and World Series. For the Bucs, Dunne, 24, wins 13 games and finishes second in 1987's NL Rookie of the Year balloting, LaValliere, 26, wins the Gold Glove Award, and Van Slyke, also 26, begins an eight-year stretch as the Pirates' standout center-fielder.
- April 3 – The Chicago Cubs trade struggling 32-year-old, 12-year-veteran starting pitcher Dennis Eckersley and infielder Dan Rohn to the Oakland Athletics for three minor leaguers: pitcher Mark Leonette, infielder/outfielder Brian Guinn, and outfielder Dave Wilder. The transaction will transform Eckersley's career. Reluctantly converted to a relief role by Oakland skipper Tony La Russa—he goes 0–2 (6.94) in two early-season spot starts—"Eck" becomes the Athletics' closer by season's end, then the most dominant reliever of his era, culminating as 1992's American League MVP and Cy Young-winner, and, ultimately, with his first-ballot induction into the Hall of Fame in 2004. [23]
- April 6
- Opening Day begins the Major League Baseball season with regular umpires on the field after a new contract, signed between the MLBUA and the American and National leagues, averts a work stoppage.
- Al Campanis, general manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers and former teammate of Jackie Robinson's, appears on the ABC news program Nightline as the 40th anniversary of Robinson's historic breaking of MLB's color line approaches. Asked by host Ted Koppel if racial prejudice is the reason there are so few Black executives or managers in baseball, Campanis replies: "No, I don’t believe it’s prejudice. I truly believe that they may not have some of the, uh, necessities, uh, to be, uh, let’s say, a field manager or perhaps a general manager." [24] Koppel challenges the statement, then asks follow-up questions trying to "give you another chance to dig yourself out," but Campanis isn't able to do so. [24] The interview causes a firestorm. Campanis, GM of the Dodgers since November 1968, is forced to resign two days later and replaced by executive vice president Fred Claire. [25]
- The Cardinals make another deal with the Pirates, purchasing the contract of right-handed hurler Lee Tunnell.
- April 10
- Slugging former Atlanta Braves third baseman Bob Horner, a still-unsigned free agent whose market value has been warped by collusion, leaves "Organized Baseball" completely to sign a one-year, $2 million contract with the Yakult Swallows of the Central League of Nippon Professional Baseball. Horner, 29, who hit 215 home runs for the Braves between 1978 and 1986, will belt 31 long balls and bat .315 in 93 games for the Swallows this season.
- Energetic utilityman Mickey Hatcher returns to his original organization, the Los Angeles Dodgers, as a free agent after his March 31 unconditional release from the Minnesota Twins. A two-time .300 hitter as a semi-regular with the Twins, Hatcher, 32, will play four seasons in his second Dodger stint, and be a prominent role player for the 1988 world champions.
- April 13 – At Jack Murphy Stadium, the San Diego Padres set a major league record when the first three batters in the bottom of the first inning hit home runs off San Francisco Giants starter Roger Mason in their home opener. The Padres, trailing 2–0, get homers from Marvell Wynne, Tony Gwynn and John Kruk; however, they still lose, 13–6.
- April 15
- Nine days after the season has begun, Juan Nieves throws what will be the only MLB no-hitter of 1987. The Milwaukee Brewers' sophomore left-hander defeats the host Baltimore Orioles, 7–0, at Memorial Stadium. [26] Nieves faces 31 hitters, fans seven, and issues five walks. At 22 years, four months and ten days old, he becomes the second-youngest pitcher in major league history to accomplish the feat—and the first Brewer to do it. [27]
- The same day as Nieves's no-no, Mike Scott, the Houston Astros' defending NL Cy Young Award winner, fires the first of the majors' 11 one-hitters of the year, besting the host Los Angeles Dodgers, 4–0. Mariano Duncan's third-inning single is the Dodgers' only safety. [26]
- April 17 – Mike Schmidt of the Philadelphia Phillies hits the 500th home run of his career. It comes in the ninth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates' Don Robinson, giving the Phillies an 8–6 win at Three Rivers Stadium.
- April 21 – The Chicago White Sox defeat the Milwaukee Brewers, 7–1, at Comiskey Park, ending the Brew Crew's season-opening 13-game winning streak. En route, Milwaukee has swept the defending AL champion Boston Red Sox, Baltimore Orioles, and Texas Rangers (twice). After today's loss, the Brewers will sweep the Orioles again—bringing their mark to 17–1 (.944) on April 27.
- April 25 – Detroit Tigers' rookie Billy Bean hits safely four times—including two doubles—in his major-league debut, becoming the 13th player ever to accomplish the feat.
- April 29 – André Dawson of the Chicago Cubs hits for the cycle (including his sixth homer of the new season) in an 8–4 triumph over the San Francisco Giants at Wrigley Field. [26]
May
- May 1–5 – The five remaining unsigned élite free agents, still in collusion limbo and prohibited until now from signing with their 1986 teams, all return to their former clubs. Three sign new contracts on May 1: Tim Raines—reigning National League batting champion and future Hall of Famer—with the Montreal Expos; former ace left-hander Ron Guidry with the New York Yankees; and catcher Bob Boone with the California Angels. On May 2, catcher Rich Gedman rejoins the Boston Red Sox. Then, on May 5, pitcher Doyle Alexander returns to the Atlanta Braves. An arbitrator will later rule that major league owners conspired together, in an attempt to keep player salaries low, to destroy the free agent marketplace. [28]
- May 4 – Candy Maldonado of the San Francisco Giants hits for the cycle in a 10–7 triumph over the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Memorial Stadium. [26]
- May 6 – Pitcher Dennis Martínez returns to the Montreal Expos on a $162,500 one-year contract after being granted free agency on November 9, 1986, and is assigned to Triple-A. The Nicaraguan right-hander, 32, will be recalled June 10 and go 11–4 (3.30) in 22 starts, the start of a comeback that will see him make three National League All-Star teams and pitch a perfect game over the next seven seasons.
- May 12 – The Cleveland Indians send outfielder Dave Gallagher to the Seattle Mariners for right-hander Mark Huismann.
- May 15 – The Texas Rangers deal southpaw hurler Mike Mason to the Chicago Cubs for a "player to be named later;" right-hander Dave Pavlas is set to the Rangers June 6 to complete the transaction.
- May 17 – Outfielder Lonnie Smith, granted free agency from the Kansas City Royals last November 12, returns to Kansas City on a $500,000 one-year contract.
- May 22 – The Baltimore Orioles trade pitcher Brad Havens and outfielder John Shelby to the Los Angeles Dodgers for relief pitcher Tom Niedenfuer.
- May 23 – In one of 1987's two longest extra-inning games, the Chicago Cubs outlast the Atlanta Braves, 7–6 at Wrigley Field, when Jerry Mumphrey plates Ryne Sandberg with a game-winning double in the 16th. [29]
- May 29 – The Los Angeles Dodgers release third baseman Bill Madlock. The four-time former NL batting champ, now 36, is hitting only .180 in 61 at bats this season.
June
- June 1 – Knuckleballer Phil Niekro of the Cleveland Indians beats the Detroit Tigers, 9–6, for his 314th career MLB victory. With younger brother Joe currently boasting 216 victories, the Niekros become the winningest pitching brother duo, surpassing the 529 wins posted by Gaylord and Jim Perry. The Niekros will finish their careers in April 1988 with a combined 539 wins.
- June 2 – The Seattle Mariners use the first overall selection of the 1987 MLB draft to select future 13-time All-Star, 10x Gold Glover, 1997 American League MVP, and first-ballot Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr., signaling a turnaround in their fortunes as an organization. With the 22nd pick, the Houston Astros select another Cooperstown-bound player, Craig Biggio, then a catcher.
- June 2–3 – At the "Friendly Confines" of Wrigley Field, the Chicago Cubs trounce the Astros on successive days, 13–2 and 22–7, behind seven-RBI games from André Dawson, then Keith Moreland.
- June 5 – Dwight Gooden returns to the New York Mets after participating in a substance abuse treatment program and makes his first start of 1987. Before a crowd of 51,402 at Shea Stadium, he goes 62⁄3 innings and defeats the Pittsburgh Pirates, 5–1. [30] [31]
- June 6
- With their starting rotation decimated by injuries and Gooden's absence, the Mets seek help from free-agent franchise icon Tom Seaver, 42, who signs a conditional contract today; [32] but Seaver is hit hard during an exhibition game against the Triple-A Tidewater Tides on June 11. After similarly poor outings on the 16th and 20th, he will formally retire on the 22nd. [33]
- The Minnesota Twins acquire Joe Niekro (3–4) from the New York Yankees for catcher/DH Mark Salas (.378 in 22 games).
- June 10
- The Yankees reacquire veteran DH/outfielder Mike Easler from the Philadelphia Phillies for third baseman Shane Turner and outfielder Keith Hughes. The Bombers had traded Easler, 36, to the Phils last December.
- The San Diego Padres name longtime executive Chub Feeney club president. Feeney, 65, spent over four decades in senior front office positions as a vice president of the New York/San Francisco Giants (1946–1969) and president of the National League (1970–1986). He succeeds former prexy Ballard Smith, who is the son-in-law of owner Joan Kroc.
- June 17 – Both benches clear twice during a pair of brawls in the sixth inning of today's 8–5 Milwaukee Brewers victory over the Minnesota Twins at County Stadium. The first is touched off when the Twins' Steve Lombardozzi is hit by a Mark Clear pitch following Gene Larkin's homer; the benches empty, but neither the batter nor the pitcher are ejected: instead, Lombardozzi's teammate, Dan Gladden, who challenges Clear to a fight, is bounced by umpire (and former professional wrestler) Ken Kaiser. The second donnybrook breaks out one batter later, when baserunner Lombardozzi slides hard into the Brewers' Jim Gantner and the two wrestle at second base; this time, Kaiser ejects Gantner and Twins' coach Tony Oliva. [34]
- June 18 – The Phillies, 29–32 and 9½ games behind the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL East, fire third-year manager John Felske. Coach Lee Elia, known for his previous stint as manager of the 1982–1983 Chicago Cubs, is named interim skipper.
- June 24 – The Minnesota Twins obtain veteran southpaw Dan Schatzeder from the Phillies for hurler Danny Clay and corner infielder Tom Schwarz. Schatzeder, 32, has a lackluster regular season for the Twins, but his crucial Game 6 win in the 1987 World Series will pave the way for their seven-game Fall Classic triumph over the St. Louis Cardinals.
- June 28 – Don Baylor of the visiting Boston Red Sox is hit by a pitch from Rick Rhoden in the sixth inning of a 6–2 win over the New York Yankees. The HBP gives Baylor 244 for his career, breaking a modern-day record set by Ron Hunt.
July
- July 1
- The California Angels sign veteran outfielder Tony Armas, granted free agency from the Boston Red Sox last November 12.
- The Chicago White Sox sign pitcher LaMarr Hoyt as a free agent; he had been released by the San Diego Padres on June 17. Arrested three times on drug-related charges during 1986, Hoyt, 32, is expected to begin his comeback in Class A this season—but the 1983 American League Cy Young Award winner's baseball career is over. [35]
- July 3 – The Kansas City Royals induct former infielder Cookie Rojas and starting pitcher Paul Splittorff and their late manager, Dick Howser, into their Hall of Fame. They also retire Howser's uniform #10—the first officially retired number in franchise history. [36]
- July 5 – In a blockbuster trade within the NL West, the San Francisco Giants obtain pitchers Dave Dravecky and Craig Lefferts and outfielder Kevin Mitchell from the San Diego Padres for pitchers Keith Comstock, Mark Davis and Mark Grant and third baseman and 1986 National League All-Star Chris Brown. In Mitchell's 4½ seasons in San Francisco, he will bash 153 home runs, make two All-Star teams, win the 1989 NL Most Valuable Player Award, and help the Giants reach the postseason twice. In San Diego, Davis will post two All-Star seasons (1988–1989) as a relief pitcher, culminating in the 1989 NL Cy Young Award.
- July 7 – At Wrigley Field, umpire Gary Darling ejects six Chicago Cubs in a beanball war with the San Diego Padres. Hostilities break out in the home half of the third when, after the Cubs' third homer of the game, Padre hurler Eric Show hits slugger André Dawson in the face with a pitch. As Dawson lies injured at home plate, the Cubs' Rick Sutcliffe charges Show from his dugout, emptying benches and bullpens. Then an enraged Dawson goes after Show, chasing the pitcher (and umpire Charlie Williams, who's escorting Show off the field) into the Padre dugout. The "chin music" continues in later innings when the retaliating Cubs hit San Diego's Benito Santiago with a pitch and throw behind newly acquired Chris Brown. Sutcliffe, Dawson, Greg Maddux, Scott Sanderson, manager Gene Michael and acting skipper Johnny Oates are all evicted from the premises. No Padres are ejected. The Cubs win the game, 7–5. [37]
- July 12
- Three of the four MLB divisions are in play at the All-Star break. In the AL West, the surprising Minnesota Twins (49–40) lead the Kansas City Royals and Oakland Athletics (both 46–41) by two games. In the NL West, the Cincinnati Reds (47–41) hold a 2½-game edge over the Houston Astros (44–43), with another surprise team, the San Francisco Giants (44–44), only three back. In the AL East, the New York Yankees (55–34) boast a three-length advantage over the Toronto Blue Jays (51–36), with the Detroit Tigers (48–37) five games out. Only the NL East, with the St. Louis Cardinals (56–30) in possession of MLB's best record, seems a runaway; they're nine games in front of second-place Montreal (47–39). The defending champion New York Mets (47–40) are third, 9½ back.
- Left-hander Steve Howe, the 1979 NL Rookie of the Year and former All-Star reliever, signs a free agent contract with the Texas Rangers. Howe, whose struggle with drug and alcohol addiction has disrupted his baseball career, had spent 1986 pitching for an unaffiliated Class A team; his last MLB appearance had come on September 10, 1985. Now 29, he'll be back on a big-league mound on August 7.
- July 13 – The New York Yankees obtain southpaw starter Steve Trout from the Chicago Cubs for three pitchers: Rich Scheid, Bob Tewksbury and Dean Wilkins. In 11 starts for the Cubs this year, Trout, 29, is 6–3 (3.00) with three complete games and two shutouts; however, as a Yankee, he will go winless in four decisions and his ERA will more than double, to 6.60, through the rest of the season.
- July 14 – Tim Raines caps a three-for-three performance in the All-Star Game with a two-run triple in the top of the 13th inning, giving the National League a 2–0 victory over the American League. Raines is selected the MVP.
- July 17 – The Cleveland Indians, in the midst of a crushingly disappointing season (31–56, last in the AL East, and 23 games out of first), fire manager Pat Corrales and replace him with coach Doc Edwards. Corrales, 46, had led Cleveland to a 280–355–2 (.441) mark since becoming pilot on July 31, 1983. Edwards, 50, is a former Indians' catcher who spent four years (1982–1985) as their Triple-A manager.
- July 15 – Ron Cey is released by the Oakland Athletics, bringing an end to Cey's 17 year career.
- July 18 – New York Yankees first baseman Don Mattingly homers in his record-tying eighth straight game, a 7–2 Texas Rangers win at Arlington Stadium. He matches the record established by Dale Long in 1956.
- July 19 – The Rangers put up 22 hits, including a four-for-four performance by second baseman Jerry "The Governor" Browne, and stagger the visiting Yankees, 20–3. The 20 runs are the highest for an AL team in 1987; the 22 safeties will be equaled by Cleveland on September 5, while the Philadelphia Phillies will also collect 22 knocks in 13 innings on August 11 to lead NL teams. [29]
- July 23 – The Boston Red Sox (43–52), defending AL champions mired in fifth place in their division, unconditionally release first baseman Bill Buckner, whose error in Game 6 helped turn the tide of the 1986 World Series. Buckner, 37, is batting .273 with only two homers in 75 games for Boston this season. Buckner will sign with the California Angels on July 28.
- July 30 – The St. Louis Cardinals deal southpaw Dave LaPoint to the Chicago White Sox for minor-league hurler Bryce Hulstrom.
- July 31
- The San Francisco Giants, just three games from first place in the NL West, acquire veteran right-hander Don Robinson from the Pittsburgh Pirates for catcher Mackey Sasser and $50,000. Robinson, 30, will win five games and save seven others coming out of the Giants' bullpen, to help them win the division title.
- Hall-of-Fame left-hander Steve Carlton, now 42 and a 23-year MLB veteran, is dealt from the Cleveland Indians to the Minnesota Twins for a "PTBNL," minor-league hurler Jeff Perry. Carlton will appear in only nine regular-season games, with seven starts, for the Twins, and contribute only one victory in their drive to the American League pennant. He'll retire in 1988 with 329 career victories.
August
- August 2 – At Royals Stadium, Kevin Seitzer goes six-for-six with two home runs and seven runs batted in the Kansas City Royals' 13–5 victory over the Boston Red Sox. [26] Seitzer becomes the second Royal to collect six hits in one game, Bob Oliver having done so in 1969, the franchise's inaugural season.
- August 3 – With the California Angels batting in the fourth against the visiting Minnesota Twins, umpires converge on the mound to inspect the uniform and equipment of Twins' hurler Joe Niekro. Opponents suspect Niekro of "doctoring" the baseball; tonight, umpires have quietly collected five scuffed balls as possible evidence. Niekro reaches into his pockets, throws his hands in the air—and an emery board and a small piece of sandpaper fly to the ground. Niekro is ejected and ultimately suspended for ten games by American League president Bobby Brown. The undeterred Twins, on their way to the AL West title, win, 11–3. [38] Although he maintains his innocence, Niekro will appear on Late Night With David Letterman on August 14, where he hilariously spoofs the incident, and videos of his flying emery board will become a staple of ensuing baseball blooper reels. [39]
- August 7 – The Detroit Tigers, embroiled in a three-team divisional scramble in the AL East, swap third basemen with the Pittsburgh Pirates, sending Darnell Coles, 25, to Pittsburgh for veteran Jim Morrison, 34. Coles has been in a season-long slump and lost his regular job to Tom Brookens, but Morrison's offensive struggles this month will cement Brookens' role as the Tigers' starting third baseman.
- August 9 – Seeking pitching depth for the pennant drive, the Toronto Blue Jays—who are fighting the Tigers and New York Yankees for supremacy in the AL East—obtain 48-year-old, future Hall of Famer Phil Niekro from the Cleveland Indians for pitcher Don Gordon (PTBNL) and minor-league outfielder Darryl Landrum. Niekro is struggling through his 24th and last MLB season; he will go 0–2 (8.25) in only 12 innings pitched and three games for Toronto before he's released August 31, and allowed to finish his career with his longtime former team, the Atlanta Braves.
- August 11
- Mark McGwire of the Oakland Athletics breaks Al Rosen's American League rookie record by hitting his 38th home run in an 8–2 loss to the Seattle Mariners.
- Murray Cook, general manager of the Montreal Expos since September 1984, resigns his post for "personal and family" reasons. [40] Former Expos pitcher Bill Stoneman succeeds him, with future GM Dave Dombrowski promoted to assistant general manager.
- August 12 – In a deal that will decide a divisional race for one team and turn the other into perennial pennant contenders, the Tigers acquire veteran right-hander Doyle Alexander from the Braves for 20-year-old hurler John Smoltz. Alexander, 36, will go 9–0 (1.53) in 11 starts (and 881⁄3 innings) for the rest of the regular season before faltering in the 1987 ALCS. Smoltz, only 4–10 (5.68) in 21 games for Double-A Glens Falls when today's deal is made, will win 210 games as a Brave, while making eight National League All-Star teams, capturing a Cy Young Award, and earning both a World Series ring and election to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
- August 16
- Tim Raines hits for the cycle in the Expos' 10–7 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates at Olympic Stadium [26] to complete a four-game sweep of the Bucs and keep the Expos (66–51, four games out) in contention in the NL East. [41]
- The New York Mets rough up sophomore right-hander Greg Maddux for seven earned runs in 32⁄3 innings en route to a 23–10 romp over the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. The Mets' 23 runs scored are the most by an MLB team in 1987. [29] The defeat drops future first-ballot Hall of Famer Maddux's record to 6–11 (5.25). [42] The 21-year-old's growing pains will end in 1988, when he wins 18 games and begins his run of pitching dominance.
- August 21 – Beginning today in a dead heat for the NL West lead (with the Cincinnati Reds), the San Francisco Giants (63–59) acquire "Big Daddy"—starting pitcher Rick Reuschel—from the Pittsburgh Pirates for hurlers Scott Medvin and Jeff Robinson. Reuschel, 38, will win five games down the stretch, while the Giants play .675 ball and capture their first divisional crown since 1971 by six full games. [43]
- August 26
- Future Hall of Famer Paul Molitor of the Milwaukee Brewers goes hitless against five Cleveland Indians hurlers in a 10–9 Brewer win, and ends his 39-game hitting streak—the longest in the American League since Joe DiMaggio's 56 straight games (the major league record) in 1941. Molitor's skein began July 16; he went 68-for-164 (.415) with seven homers, 17 doubles and three triples; he also walked 22 times. [26]
- Former catcher John Wathan replaces Billy Gardner at the helm of the Kansas City Royals, who are 62–64 but only 3½ games out of the lead in the AL West. Wathan, 37, is promoted from Triple-A Omaha after batting coach Hal McRae, an African-American and the club's first choice, turns down the job. Gardner, who became the Royals' skipper when terminally ill Dick Howser stepped aside during spring training, had held the post for only six months and three days. [44]
- The New York Yankees and Cincinnati Reds trade struggling pitchers, with the Bombers sending lefty Dennis Rasmussen to Cincinnati for right-hander Bill Gullickson.
- August 29
- The Oakland Athletics acquire left-hander Rick Honeycutt from the Los Angeles Dodgers for a "player to be named later." The PTBNL turns out to be former top draft choice Tim Belcher, still a minor leaguer, who is added to the deal September 3. Oakland is tied for first in the AL West and seeks to strengthen its pitching staff with veteran southpaw Honeycutt, 33, who is only 2–12 (4.59) in 27 games with Los Angeles; Belcher, 25, who has spent the year in Triple-A, with have a strong MLB debut with the Dodgers, going 4–2 (2.38) in six September games.
- The Pittsburgh Pirates deal hard-hitting second baseman Johnny Ray to the California Angels for minor-league corner infielder Bill Merrifield and pitcher Miguel García (PTBNL).
- August 30
- The Athletics add more pitching, sending two PTBNLs (pitcher Dave Leiper and first baseman Rob Nelson) to the San Diego Padres for right-hander Storm Davis.
- Future Hall of Famer Kirby Puckett goes six-for-six, including two homers, scores four runs and knocks in four, leading the Minnesota Twins to a 10–6 victory at County Stadium. [26]
- With knuckleball pitcher Charlie Hough on the mound, Texas Rangers catcher Geno Petralli ties a Major League record by committing six passed balls in a 7–0 loss to the Detroit Tigers at Tiger Stadium. All seven runs are unearned and come as a result of the passed balls. Petralli commits 35 passed balls on the season, breaking J. C. Martin's modern-day single-season record of 33 in 1965.
- August 31
- The sixth-place Baltimore Orioles trade veteran left-hander Mike Flanagan to the contending Toronto Blue Jays for right-handers Oswaldo Peraza and José Mesa (PTBNL). Former Cy Young Award winner (1979) Flanagan, 35, has won 139 games for Baltimore since 1975 and owns a World Series ring.
- The Kansas City Royals, battling for first in the AL West, obtain 18-year MLB veteran relief pitcher Gene Garber from the Atlanta Braves for catcher Terry Bell (PTBNL).
- The St. Louis Cardinals trade lefty Pat Perry to the Cincinnati Reds for right-hander Scott Terry (PTBNL).
September
- September 1 – The defending American League champions, the Boston Red Sox, now 15 full games out of first place and five games under .500, continue to shed veteran members of their 1986 roster, shipping postseason heroes Dave Henderson and Don Baylor to separate contenders for players to be named later. Henderson, 29, is traded to the San Francisco Giants for fellow outfielder Randy Kutcher, and DH Baylor, 38, is swapped to the Minnesota Twins for pitching prospect Enrique Rios. Baylor will star for the Twins in the 1987 postseason, going seven-for-21 with a home run and winning a World Series ring.
- September 6 – The Los Angeles Dodgers push over an unearned run in the home half of the 16th to defeat the New York Mets, 3–2, in one of the majors' two longest games (by innings) of 1987. Tim Belcher, making his big-league debut, hurls two shutout innings for the win. [29] [45]
- September 7 – Labor Day weekend ends with races all in four MLB divisions. The closest is in the AL East, where the Toronto Blue Jays (83–54) lead the Detroit Tigers (82–54) by a half game. In the AL West, the Minnesota Twins (74–65) have a three-game advantage over the Oakland Athletics. In the NL East, the St. Louis Cardinals (81–55) lead the Mets by 3½ lengths. Meanwhile, in the NL West, the San Francisco Giants (74–64) have moved 4½ games ahead of their nearest rival, now the Houston Astros (69–68).
- September 8 – Unwilling to wait to be fired, Chicago Cubs manager Gene Michael quits before completing his first full season. His team began the season 23–14, but has slumped to a 68–68 mark, 13 full games behind the Cardinals; what's more, he's at odds with general manager (GM) Dallas Green. [46] Michael, 49, departs with a record of 114–124 since taking over the Cubs on June 14, 1986. He ultimately will return to the New York Yankees and their front office, where he'll be a key architect of the Joe Torre-era dynasty that begins in 1996.
- September 9
- Nolan Ryan strikes out 16 to pass 4,500 for his career as the Houston Astros beat the San Francisco Giants 4–2. Ryan strikes out 12 of the final 13 batters and fans Mike Aldrete to complete the seventh inning for his 4,500th strikeout.
- The Cubs appoint scout and former big-league skipper Frank Lucchesi, 61, their acting manager. He will guide the team to an 8–17 (.320) mark and last place finish from today through the end of the 1987 campaign.
- September 11 – The year's longest consecutive-scoreless-innings-pitched streak ends at 331⁄3 when Teddy Higuera of the Milwaukee Brewers allows a fifth-inning solo shot to Tom Brookens of the Detroit Tigers. Milwaukee still prevails, 5–2, with Higuera improving to 16–9 (3.79). [26]
- September 14 – In the midst of the Toronto Blue Jays' 18–3 drubbing of the Baltimore Orioles at Exhibition Stadium, Cal Ripken Jr. is lifted from the lineup and replaced by Ron Washington, stopping Ripken's consecutive innings played streak at 8,243. In this same game, Toronto hits ten home runs to set a Major League single-game record. Ernie Whitt connects on three of the home runs, Rance Mulliniks and George Bell two each, and Fred McGriff, Lloyd Moseby and Rob Ducey one each. [29] [47] [48]
- September 15 – The Cincinnati Reds' Dave Parker puts up one of the most impressive offensive displays of the year, going five for five, scoring four runs, and knocking in eight (most by an MLB player in 1987) in a 21–6 beatdown of the Atlanta Braves at Fulton County Stadium. [26]
- September 18 – Darrell Evans hits his 30th home run of the season, and becomes the first player to do so after the age of 40. The blow enables Evans's Detroit Tigers to eke out a one-run victory over the Milwaukee Brewers, and maintain their half-game edge on the Toronto Blue Jays in the AL East.
- September 21
- Darryl Strawberry steals his 30th base of 1987 to join the 30–30 club. With New York Mets teammate Howard Johnson already a club "member," this marks the first time that two teammates achieve 30–30 seasons in the same year.
- The Chicago Cubs send pitcher Dickie Noles to the Detroit Tigers for a player to be named later. When the trade is completed on October 23, that "PTBNL" is Noles—making him, at the time, the third man MLB history to be traded for himself.
- September 22 – Wade Boggs of the Boston Red Sox reaches the 200-hit mark for the fifth straight season in an 8–5 loss to the Detroit Tigers.
- September 23 – Albert Hall of the Atlanta Braves becomes the fourth MLB player to hit for the cycle in 1987 in a 5–4 triumph over the Houston Astros. His lead-off triple in the home half of the ninth, which completes the cycle, becomes the winning run when Hall soon scores on a wild pitch to break the four-all tie. [26] [49]
- September 27
- Four days after being signed as a free agent by his original team, 48-year-old future Hall of Famer Phil Niekro pitches in his final major league game for the Atlanta Braves. Starting against the visiting San Francisco Giants, he goes three-plus innings, and gives up six hits and five runs. He does not earn a decision. [50] [51]
- The Giants (now 85–70) romp in the contest, 15–6, and clinch the 1987 NL West title for their first postseason appearance since 1971 and only their third in 30 seasons in San Francisco.
- September 28 – Kevin Seitzer becomes the first rookie since Tony Oliva and Dick Allen in 1964 to collect 200 hits in a season.
- September 29 – The Baltimore Orioles release outfielder Alan Wiggins, suspended August 31 after a failed drug test. The release ends his professional baseball career. In 1991, at age 32, Wiggins will become the first MLB player to die from AIDS, which he contracted through intravenous drug use. [52]
October
- October 1 – Gerald Perry of the Atlanta Braves attempts a delayed steal of home in a game against the Houston Astros. Astros catcher Ronn Reynolds fails to properly field the throw from pitcher Danny Darwin. As Perry makes his scramble for home, Ken Oberkfell advances from second base to third, and Jeff Blauser advances from first to second, allowing the Braves to pull off a rare triple steal. [53]
- October 4 – The Detroit Tigers defeat the Toronto Blue Jays 1–0 to clinch the American League East division title. The victory caps off a thrilling pennant race in which the Tigers overcome a 3.5 game deficit to the Blue Jays in the last two weeks of the season, including sweeping the Blue Jays at Tiger Stadium in the final weekend, and finishing two games ahead of Toronto in the standings.
- October 19 – After a disappointing fourth-place finish, New York Yankees' owner George Steinbrenner decides to promote manager Lou Piniella to general manager and hires Billy Martin as manager for the fifth time for the 1988 season.
- October 25 – In Game 7 of the World Series, starter Frank Viola and reliever Jeff Reardon hold the St. Louis Cardinals to six hits, as the Minnesota Twins win 4–2 for their first Fall Classic championship in their 27 year-history in the Twin Cities. The franchise's last title came in 1924 as the Washington Senators. Viola is named the Series MVP.
- October 28
- Buck Rodgers of the Montreal Expos was named National League Manager of the Year by the Baseball Writers Associated of America. Rodgers received 92 points. Roger Craig of the San Francisco Giants finished second with 65 points.
- The Chicago Cubs sold the contract of Brian Dayett to the Nippon Ham Fighters of the Japanese Pacific League.
- October 30 – Dallas Green, only three years after his recognition as The Sporting News Executive of the Year, resigns as president and general manager of the Chicago Cubs over "philosophical differences" with the team's owners, the Tribune Company. Since taking the job six years ago, Green, 53, took the Cubs from last place to their first postseason appearance in 39 years as 1984 NL East champions. But three straight losing seasons, including a return to the basement in 1987, created friction leading to Green's departure. [54]
November
- November 3 – Mark McGwire who hit a then MLB rookie record of 49 home runs was the unanimous choice for the American League Rookie of the Year. Only the second time that happened (Carlton Fisk was the other in 1972).
November 6 - The Cincinnati Reds trade pitcher Ted Power and shortstop Kurt Stillwell to the Detroit Tigers in exchange for pitcher Danny Jackson and infielder Angel Salazar. The move allows the Reds make Barry Larkin the new starter at shortstop.
- November 10 – In the closest vote in Cy Young Award history, Steve Bedrosian of the Philadelphia Phillies edges Rick Sutcliffe of the Chicago Cubs, 57–55, to win the National League honors. Bedrosian posts a 5–3 record with a 2.83 ERA and 40 saves, while Sutcliffe finishes 18–10 with a 3.68 ERA and 174 strikeouts. Bedrosian is the third relief pitcher ever to win the award in the NL, joining Mike Marshall (1974) and Bruce Sutter (1979).
- November 12 - The Houston Astros released Second Baseman Davey Lopes.
- November 18 – Andre Dawson of the Chicago Cubs is announced as the winner of the National League MVP Award, becoming the first recipient of the award to play for a last place team.
December
- December 1 – Free agent outfielder Brett Butler is signed by the San Francisco Giants. Butler hit .295 with nine home runs, 41 RBI, and 33 stolen bases for the Cleveland Indians in this season.
- December 14 the Chicago Cubs signed infielder Vance Law as a free agent.
