The 1973

Detroit Tigers The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...

compiled a record of 85–77. They finished in 3rd place in the

AL East The American League East is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. MLB consists of an East, Central, and West division for each of its two 15-team leagues, the American League (AL) and National League (NL). This division was created before ...

, 12 games behind the

Baltimore Orioles The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. As one of the American L ...

. They were outscored by their opponents 674 to 642.

Offseason

* November 30, 1972:

Rich Reese Richard Benjamin Reese (born September 29, 1941) is an American former professional baseball player who played first base and outfield in the major leagues from through for the Minnesota Twins and Detroit Tigers. Born in Leipsic, Ohio, Reese th ...

was purchased by the Tigers from the

Minnesota Twins The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis. The Twins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central Division. The team is named after the Twin Cities area w ...

.Rich Reese
at ''Baseball Reference''

Regular season

* April 16, 1973:

Steve Busby Steven Lee "Buzz" Busby (born September 29, 1949) is a former starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played his entire career for the Kansas City Royals. He batted and threw right-handed. High school Busby attended Fullerton Union High Sch ...

threw the first no-hitter in

Kansas City Royals The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team was founded as an expans ...

history against the Tigers. The Royals beat Detroit by a score of 3–0.

Season standings

Record vs. opponents

Notable transactions

* April 2, 1973: Tim Hosley was traded by the Tigers to the

Oakland Athletics The Oakland Athletics (often referred to as the A's) are an American professional baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The te ...

for Don Shaw. * June 5, 1973: Bob Adams was drafted by the Tigers in the 3rd round of the 1973 Major League Baseball draft. * August 17, 1973: Rich Reese was released by the Tigers.

Roster

Player stats

Batting

Starters by position

''Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in''

Other batters

''Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in''

Pitching

Starting pitchers

''Note: G = Games; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts''

Other pitchers

''Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts''

Relief pitchers

''Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; GF = Games finished; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts''

Awards and honors

John Hiller John Frederick Hiller (born April 8, 1943) is a Canadian former baseball relief pitcher who played 15 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Detroit Tigers between 1965 and 1980. A native of Toronto, he joined the Tigers in 1965 and w ...

Hutch Award The Hutch Award is given annually to an active Major League Baseball (MLB) player who "best exemplifies the fighting spirit and competitive desire" of Fred Hutchinson, by persevering through adversity. The award was created in 1965 in honor of Hu ...

Al Kaline Albert William Kaline ( ; December 19, 1934 – April 6, 2020), nicknamed "Mr. Tiger", was an American professional baseball right fielder who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Detroit Tigers. For most of his career, Kal ...

Roberto Clemente Award The Roberto Clemente Award is given annually to the Major League Baseball (MLB) player who "best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement and the individual's contribution to his team", as voted on by baseball fans a ...

Mickey Stanley Mitchell Jack "Mickey" Stanley (born July 20, 1942) is an American former professional baseball player. A native of Grand Rapids, Michigan, Stanley signed with the Detroit Tigers organization in 1960. After four years in the Tigers' minor leagu ...

, AL

Gold Glove Award The Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to as simply the Gold Glove, is the award given annually to the Major League Baseball (MLB) players judged to have exhibited superior individual fielding performances at each fielding position in bo ...

, outfield

League top ten finishers

Ed Brinkman Edwin Albert Brinkman (December 8, 1941 – September 30, 2008) was an American professional baseball player, coach and scout. He played for 15 seasons in Major League Baseball, principally as a shortstop, for the Washington Senators (1961–19 ...

* MLB leader in games played (162) * AL leader in games played at shortstop (162) * AL leader in complete games at shortstop (141) * AL leader in innings played at shortstop (1390-2/3) * #2 in AL in sacrifice hits (14) * #2 in AL times grounded into double plays (22) Joe Coleman * AL leader in hit batsmen (10) * #2 in AL in wins (23) * #4 in AL in home runs allowed (32) * #5 in MLB in games started (40) * #9 in MLB in batters faced (1219)

Bill Freehan William Ashley Freehan (November 29, 1941 – August 19, 2021) was an American catcher in Major League Baseball who played his entire 15-year career with the Detroit Tigers. The premier catcher in the American League for several years from the 19 ...

* #2 in AL in times hit by pitch (11)

* MLB leader in saves (38) * AL leader in games (65) * AL leader in games finished (60) * #5 in AL in win percentage (.667)

* 4th oldest player in AL (38)

Mickey Lolich Michael Stephen Lolich (born September 12, 1940) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a left-handed pitcher from 1963 until 1979, almost entirely for the Detroit Tigers. A three-time All-Star, ...

* #2 in MLB in games started (42) * #2 in MLB in home runs allowed (35) * #2 in MLB in hits allowed (315) * #2 in AL in strikeout to walk ratio (2.71) * #3 in MLB in earned runs allowed (131) * #5 in AL in bases on balls per 9 innings pitched (2.30) * #5 in AL in strikeouts (214) * #5 in AL in wild pitches (12) * #6 in MLB in batters faced (1286) * #7 in MLB in innings pitched (308.7)

Aurelio Rodríguez Aurelio Rodríguez Ituarte, Jr. (December 28, 1947 – September 23, 2000), sometimes known by the nickname "Chi Chi", was a Mexicans, Mexican professional baseball player, who spent the bulk of his Major League Baseball, Major League career ...

* AL leader in games played at third base (160) * AL leader in complete games at third base (151) * AL leader in innings played at third base (1394-2/3) * #5 in AL in games played (160)

* #4 in AL in outs (481)

Players ranking among top 100 all time at position

The following members of the 1975 Detroit Tigers are among the Top 100 of all time at their position, as ranked by

The Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract ''The Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract'' is a reference book written by Bill James featuring an overview of professional baseball decade by decade, along with rankings of the top 100 players at each position. The original edition was publi ...

in 2001: *

: 12th best catcher of all time * Norm Cash: 20th best first baseman of all time *

: 91st best third baseman of all time *

: 11th best right fielder of all time *

Willie Horton William R. Horton (born August 12, 1951), commonly referred to as "Willie Horton", is an American convicted felon who became notorious for committing violent crimes while on furlough from prison, where he was serving a life sentence without the ...

: 55th best left fielder of all time *

: 72nd best pitcher of all time

Farm system

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Montgomery

References

External links

1973 Detroit Tigers Regular Season Statistics at Baseball Reference
{{Detroit Tigers Detroit Tigers seasons Detroit Tigers season Detroit Tiger 1973 in Detroit