Former MLB reliever Mike Marshall, best known for winning the 1974 NL Cy Young Award with the Los Angeles Dodgers while appearing in a MLB record 106 games, passed away on Memorial Day at the age of 78. No cause of death has been released.
A native of Michigan, Marshall signed with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1965 as an amateur free agent. The following year his contract was purchased by the Detroit Tigers with whom he would make his big league debut in 1967. The Seattle Pilots would pick Marshall in the expansion draft following the 1968 season. Used primarily as a starter, Marshall struggled with a 3-10 record and a 5.13 ERA.
After a brief stint with the Houston Astros in 1970, he would be traded to the Montreal Expos that June. While in Montreal, Marshall's career flourished under the tutelage of manager Gene Mauch. Marshall would finish fourth in NL Cy Young balloting in 1972 and finish runner up to Tom Seaver in 1973. The Expos then traded Marshall to the Dodgers for outfielder Willie Davis.
While Davis had a good season in Montreal, Marshall would have a historical season and was a crucial piece to the Dodgers winning their first NL pennant in 8 years. Although the Dodgers would fall to the Oakland A's in the World Series, Marshall memorably picked off Herb Washington in Game 2 to give L.A. their only win of that Fall Classic.
However, all those appearances would reduce Marshall's effectiveness and the Dodgers would deal him to the Atlanta Braves for outfielder Lee Lacy and pitcher Elias Sosa during the middle of the 1976 season but did not return to form in Atlanta. Nor was he effective while with the Texas Rangers in 1977.
But Marshall would reunite with Gene Mauch with the Minnesota Twins in 1978 regaining his form for two seasons finishing in the top 10 in AL Cy Young balloting both seasons as he led the AL in appearances by a pitcher in 1979 with 90. The Twins would release Marshall during the 1980 season when his ERA ballooned to 6.12. Marshall would acquit himself well in 20 appearances with the New York Mets in 1981 but the team saw fit to release him at the end of the season and he opted to retire. In 724 big league appearances over 14 seasons, Marshall went 97-112 with a 3.14 ERA and 188 career saves.
Marshall was as well known for his academic inclinations as he was for his pitching earning a Ph.D in kinesiology from Michigan State University in 1978. Astonishingly, Marshall nearly gave up baseball prior to the 1974 season to pursue his academic interests. Instead, Marshall remained and had one of the most distinguished seasons any pitcher could dream of. R.I.P.
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