Former Yankees Pitcher, 9-Year MLB Veteran, Dies

Wayne Granger, a pioneering reliever who pitched for seven major league teams in a nine-year career, died Wednesday. He was 81.

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Granger made 90 appearances for the Cincinnati Reds in 1969, a single-season record for a pitcher at the time. The following year, he led the National League in saves, with 35.

Even though he only pitched three seasons in Cincinnati (1969-71), Granger was inducted into the Reds’ Hall of Fame in 1982.

Granger also pitched for the St. Louis Cardinals (1968, 1973), Minnesota Twins (1972), New York Yankees (1973), Chicago White Sox (1974), Houston Astros (1975), and Montreal Expos (1976).

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“The Hall of Fame remembers Wayne Granger, who passed away Wednesday at the age of 81,” the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum wrote on Facebook. “A reliever for the Cardinals, Reds, Twins, Yankees, White Sox, Astros and Expos, Granger became the first pitcher to appear in 90 games during a single season when he did so in 1969.”

Granger retired with a career record of 35-35 and a 3.14 ERA (114 ERA+) in 451 games, all out of the bullpen. Despite never starting a game, he collected downballot National League MVP votes in both 1969 and 1970.

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Standing 6-foot-2 and blessed with a sinkerball, Granger needed only three years to reach the big leagues after being signed as the Cardinals as an amateur in 1965.

The Cardinals clinched the National League pennant during Granger’s rookie season. He pitched only once in the World Series, throwing two scoreless innings in Game 6 with St. Louis trailing the Detroit Tigers 13-0.

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An October 1968 trade sent Granger and Bobby Tolan to the Reds in exchange for Vada Pinson. He appeared in the 1970 World Series with the Reds but allowed a grand slam to Baltimore Orioles pitcher Dave McNally in Game 3. The Reds lost the series in five games, and Granger never pitched in the postseason again.

Granger never spent consecutive seasons in the same city after 1971 and never pitched at Crosley Field after 1970. He recorded the final out in the stadium’s history on June 24, 1970, getting the save in the Reds’ 5–4 win over the San Francisco Giants.

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