Mickey Lolich, the American baseball player best known as a left-handed pitcher for the Detroit Tigers, died on February 4, 2026.
He played in Major League Baseball from 1963 until 1979, almost entirely for Detroit, and was a three-time All-Star. Lolich won at least 14 games every year from 1964 through 1974 and struck out at least 200 batters seven times.
He was named Most Valuable Player of the 1968 World Series after three complete-game victories against the St. Louis Cardinals, including a Game 7 win over Bob Gibson. He was runner-up for the 1971 American League Cy Young Award after leading the league with 25 wins and 308 strikeouts.
Michael Stephen Lolich (September 12, 1940 – February 4, 2026) was an American left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played from 1963 until 1979, almost entirely for the Detroit Tigers. A three-time All-Star, he won at least 14 games every year from 1964 through 1974, striking out at least 200 batters seven times. Lolich was named the Most Valuable Player of the 1968 World Series against the defending champion St. Louis Cardinals after earning three complete-game victories, including a 4-1 win over future Hall-of-Famer Bob Gibson in the climactic Game 7. He was runner-up for the 1971 American League (AL) Cy Young Award after leading the league with 25 wins, 308 strikeouts, 29 complete games and 376 innings pitched, also setting team records in strikeouts and with 45 games started, and helped lead the Tigers to a 1972 division title with 22 victories.