On this day in 1968, Luis Tiant was just awesome: 19 Ks in 10 innings as Cleveland beat Minnesota 1-0! A couple of weeks later, Tiant was the AL starter in the 1968 All Star game. He pitched 2 innings and gave up the game’s only run. The NL beat the AL, 1-0.
Tiant finished the 1968 season: 21-9, a 1.60 ERA, 264 strikeouts and 19 complete games. Unfortunately for Tiant, Denny McLain won 31 games that year and ran away with the AL Cy Young award. Tiant’s excellent pitching put the Indians in 3rd place behind Detroit in the last season before divisions. Overall, Luis Tiant won 229 games, with a 3.30 ERA and 187 complete games.
Yesterday, we learned that Adolis Garcia was named to the 2023 American League All Star Roster. Garcia, born in Ciego de Avila in 1993, is a well deserved addition: 262 batting 66 RBIs, 20 HR and leads with 10 outfield assists.
Today, we remember Tiant and salute Garcia.