José DeLeón, a prominent major league pitcher whose career spanned 13 seasons, passed away on Sunday at the age of 63. DeLeón, known for his impactful career, particularly leading the National League in strikeouts while playing for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1989, left an indelible mark on the sport.
His Dominican Winter League team, Los Leones del Escogido, confirmed his passing, stating that DeLeón succumbed to health issues at a hospital in Santo Domingo.
Over the course of his illustrious career, José DeLeón achieved a record of 86-119 with a 3.76 ERA in 264 starts and 151 relief appearances. He played for several MLB teams, including the Pittsburgh Pirates (1983-86), the Chicago White Sox (1986-87, 1993-95), the St. Louis Cardinals (1988-92), the Philadelphia Phillies (1992-93), and the Montreal Expos (1995). DeLeón demonstrated his pitching prowess by recording 1,594 strikeouts in 1,897 1/3 innings.
One of the standout moments in his career came in 1989 when he led the National League with an impressive 201 strikeouts. Additionally, he tied for the NL lead with 19 losses in both 1985 and 1990. DeLeón’s contributions to the game earned him recognition and respect within the baseball community.
Selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the third round of the 1979 amateur draft, José DeLeón made his major league debut on July 23, 1983. In that memorable game, he struck out nine batters over eight innings, securing a 5-2 victory over the San Francisco Giants. His remarkable rookie season saw him finish with a 7-3 record, a 2.83 ERA in 15 starts, and a seventh-place finish in voting for the NL Rookie of the Year.
In a notable trade, DeLeón was sent to the Chicago White Sox in July 1986 in exchange for Bobby Bonilla, who went on to earn four consecutive All-Star Game selections with the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1988 to 1991.
José DeLeón made his only postseason appearances in 1993, contributing to the Chicago White Sox’s efforts in the AL Championship Series against the Toronto Blue Jays.
(Inputs from AP)
