Top Blue Jays Player #15: Duane Ward
Position: Relief Pitcher
Seasons With the
Jays: 9 (1986-1993, 1995)
All-Star Game
Selection: 1993
Stats: Games Pitched 452 Innings Pitched 650.2
Wins/Losses 32-36 Saves
121
ERA 3.18 Strike
outs 671
Games Started 2 Games
Finished 266
Complete Games 0 Shutouts 0
There’s no denying that the
worst trade the Detroit Tigers ever made was on August 12, 1987 when they sent
20-year old right-hander John Smoltz to the Atlanta Braves for 38-year old
Doyle Alexander. Granted, Alexander would help the Tigers win the AL East but
Smoltz would go on to a Hall-Of-Fame Career, primarily with the Braves.
But Atlanta wasn’t the only team
that benefited from trading Alexander. The veteran pitcher had helped the Blue
Jays win the AL East in 1985, but in 1986 was struggling on the mound and
unhappy with manager Jimy Williams. On July 6 of that season, Alexander was
sent to the Braves for a young relief pitcher named Duane Ward. It would take
several seasons but Ward would become the best set-up man in baseball, and
arguably the second-best relief pitcher in Blue Jays’ history.
After
pitching only a handful of games in 1986 and 1987, Ward finally had a major
impact with the team in 1988. He pitched in 64 games, all in relief, and
recorded a 9-3 win/loss record and a 3.30 ERA while striking out 91 batters in
111 2/3 innings pitched. He also recorded 15 saves in support of Toronto’s
closer, Tom Henke.
Another 15 saves would follow in
1989, but a 4-10 record and a 3.77 ERA were a bit of a concern. His struggles
continued in 1990 (2-8, 3.45, 11 saves) but it would be an injury to Henke in
1991 that put Ward in the spotlight to see what he could do in the closer’s
role.
In a league-leading 81 games
pitched, Ward’s ERA dropped to 2.77, he had a 7-6 ERA, struck out 132 batters
in 107 1/3 innings and recorded 23 saves. Although Henke regained his closer’s
role when he returned, Ward proved that the Jays had a second option in the
late innings.
A World Championship for the
Blue Jays was won in 1992 with Ward primarily as the set-up man. His ERA would
be an impressive 1.95, he won seven games in relief and struck out 103 batters.
While he only saved 11 games, one of them was the division clincher against the
Detroit Tigers on the second last day of the regular season.
In the World Series against his former team
(Atlanta) Ward pitched in four games, didn’t allow a run, gave up only one hit
and won two games in relief. Following the season, the Jays allowed Henke to
sign elsewhere as a free agent and promote Ward to the full-time closer’s role.
It was a decision that had short-term gains, but would prove to be bad for the
club farther down the road.
In 1993, Ward led the league in
games finished (70) and saves (45). In 71 2/3 innings, he struck out 97. He
earned his only career All-Star Game Selection and even managed to finish 5th
in Cy Young Award voting. In the ALCS against the Chicago White Sox, he saved
two games. In the World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies, he saved
another two games while earning the win in the dramatic 15-14 Game 4 slugfest.
But after much success,
including two World Championships, Ward would never save another game in the
Major Leagues. He missed the entire 1994 season with biceps tendinitis and
after making an attempted comeback in 1995, he retired after only four games.
While the second-guessers always questioned letting Henke go after 1992, Ward
had already proved he was capable of handling the closer’s job. It’s just
unfortunate that he developed the injury problems that forced the end of his
career at age 31.
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