The Tigers entered the season as the reigning World Series champions. The 1985

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 ...

finished in third place in the American League Eastern Division with a record of 84-77 (.522), 15 games behind the Blue Jays. The Tigers outscored their opponents 729 to 688. The Tigers drew 2,286,609 fans to Tiger Stadium in 1983, ranking 3rd of the 14 teams in the American League.

Regular season

Season standings

Record vs. opponents

Notable transactions

* April 5, 1985: Roger Mason was traded by the Detroit Tigers to the San Francisco Giants for Alejandro Sánchez. * June 3, 1985: 1985 Major League Baseball draft **

Scott Lusader Scott Edward Lusader (born September 30, 1963) is a former Major League Baseball (MLB) player who played for the Detroit Tigers from 1987 to 1990 and briefly for the New York Yankees in 1991. Lusader played all three outfield positions in his maj ...

was drafted by the Tigers in the 6th round. ** Mark Lee was drafted by the Tigers in the 15th round. **

Andy Stankiewicz Andrew Neal Stankiewicz (born August 10, 1964), is the head coach of the USC Trojans baseball team in Los Angeles and is a retired Major League Baseball middle-infielder. Stankiewicz had a seven-year MLB playing career spanning four clubs and 429 ...

was drafted by the Tigers in the 18th round, but did not sign. **

John Smoltz John Andrew Smoltz (born May 15, 1967), nicknamed "Smoltzie" and "Marmaduke", is an American former baseball pitcher who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball from 1988 to 2009, all but the last year with the Atlanta Braves. An eight-time A ...

was drafted by the Tigers in the 22nd round. Player signed September 22, 1985.John Smoltz
at ''Baseball Reference''

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''

Players ranking among top 100 all time at position

The following members of the 1985 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 ...

: *

Lance Parrish Lance Michael Parrish (born June 15, 1956), nicknamed "Big Wheel", is an American former baseball catcher who played Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1977 through 1995. Born in Pennsylvania, Parrish grew up in Southern California and excelled in ...

: 19th best catcher of all time *

Lou Whitaker Louis Rodman Whitaker Jr. (born May 12, 1957), nicknamed "Sweet Lou", is an American former professional baseball second baseman. Whitaker spent his entire career with the Detroit Tigers. From 1977 to 1995, he appeared in 2,390 games for the ...

: 13th best second baseman of all time *

Darrell Evans Darrell Wayne Evans (born May 26, 1947) is a former American baseball player, coach and manager. He played 21 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), beginning his career as a third baseman with the Atlanta Braves (1969–1976, 1989), alternatin ...

: 10th best third baseman of all time *

Alan Trammell Alan Stuart Trammell ( ; born February 21, 1958) is an American former professional baseball shortstop, manager and coach and member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame as a player. His entire 20-year playing career in Major League Baseball ( ...

: 9th best shortstop of all time *

Kirk Gibson Kirk Harold Gibson (born May 28, 1957) is an American former professional baseball player and manager. He is currently a color commentator for the Detroit Tigers on Bally Sports Detroit and a special assistant for the Tigers. As a player, Gibson ...

: 36th best left fielder of all time *

Chet Lemon Chester Earl Lemon (born February 12, 1955) is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. A native of Jackson, Mississippi, he grew up in Los Angeles. He was drafted in the first round of the 1972 Major League Baseball draft and played 16 seaso ...

: 48th best center fielder of all time

Award winners and league leaders

Tom Brookens Thomas Dale Brookens (born August 10, 1953) is an American former professional baseball third baseman. He played for the Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees and Cleveland Indians of the Major League Baseball (MLB). Brookens was on the Tigers coach ...

* AL leader in errors by a third baseman (23) * #9 in AL in doubles (34)

* Tiger of the Year Award, by Detroit baseball writers * MLB leader in home runs (40) * MLB leader in at bats per home run (12.6) * Finished 14th in AL MVP voting * #4 in AL in intentional walks (12) * #5 in AL in slugging percentage (.519) * #7 in AL in bases on balls (85) * #8 in AL in OPS (.875)

* AL leader in errors by an outfielder (11) * Finished 18th in AL MVP voting * #2 in AL in Power/Speed Number (29.5) * #2 in AL in intentional walks (16) * #3 in AL in extra base hits (71) * #4 in AL in sacrifice flies (10) * #4 in AL in strikeouts (137) * #6 in AL in slugging percentage (.518) * #6 in AL in total bases (301) * #6 in AL in runs created (118) * #7 in AL in OPS (.882) * #7 in AL in doubles (37) * #8 in AL in strikeouts (30) * #9 in AL in home runs (29) * #10 in MLB in total bases (301) * #10 in MLB in doubles (37) * #10 in MLB in runs created (118)

Willie Hernández Guillermo Hernández Villanueva (born November 14, 1954) is a Puerto Rican former baseball relief pitcher. He won both the American League Cy Young Award and the American League Most Valuable Player Award in 1984 after leading the Detroit Tig ...

* AL All Star Team, pitcher * #2 in MLB in games finished (64) * #3 in AL in saves (31) * #3 in AL in games (74)

* #5 in AL in times hit by pitch (10)

Jack Morris John Scott Morris (born May 16, 1955) is an American former professional baseball starting pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) between 1977 and 1994, mainly for the Detroit Tigers. Morris won 254 games throughout his career. Armed ...

* AL All Star Team, starting pitcher * AL leader in wild pitches (15) * #2 in AL in shutouts (4) * #2 in AL in bases on balls allowed (110) * #3 in AL in strikeouts (191) * #4 in AL in hits allowed per 9 innings pitched (7.42) * #4 in AL in strikeouts per 9 innings pitched (6.69) * #5 in AL in complete games (13) * #10 in MLB in batters faced (1077)

* 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 ...

, catcher * AL All Star Team, catcher

Dan Petry Daniel Joseph Petry ( ; born November 13, 1958) is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher for the Detroit Tigers (1979–87 and 1990–91), California Angels (1988–89), Atlanta Braves (1991) and Boston Red Sox (1991). He currently se ...

* AL All Star Team, pitcher * #3 in AL in hits allowed per 9 innings (7.16) * #5 in AL in walks plus hits per inning pitched (WHIP) (1.135)

Frank Tanana Frank Daryl Tanana (born July 3, 1953) is an American former professional baseball left-handed pitcher. In a Major League Baseball career that stretched from 1973 to 1993, he pitched for the California Angels, Boston Red Sox, Texas Rangers, De ...

* #3 in AL in strikeout to walk ratio (2.79) * #5 in AL in strikeouts per 9 innings pitched (6.66)

Walt Terrell Charles Walter Terrell (born May 11, 1958) is a retired Major League Baseball player. A starting pitcher, Terrell pitched from 1982 to 1992 for the New York Mets (1982–1984), Detroit Tigers (1985–1988), San Diego Padres (1989), New York Yankee ...

* #4 in AL in shutouts (3)

* AL All Star Team, shortstop * #7 in AL in sacrifice hits (11) * #8 in AL in outs (480) * #9 in AL in sacrifice flies (9)

* AL

, second base * AL

Silver Slugger Award The Silver Slugger Award has been awarded annually since 1980 to the best offensive player at each position in both the American League and the National League, as determined by the coaches and managers of Major League Baseball. These voters cons ...

, second base * AL All Star Team, starting second baseman * #7 in AL in triples (8) * #9 in AL in plate appearances (701) * #9 in AL in runs created (107) * #9 in AL in times on base (252) * #10 in AL in runs (102)

Farm system

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Bristol

References

External links

1985 Detroit Tigers Regular Season Statistics
{{DEFAULTSORT:1985 Detroit Tigers Season Detroit Tigers seasons Detroit Tiger

1985 in Detroit