Rick Sutcliffe

Lore & Background

Sutcliffe was born in Independence, Missouri, and attended Van Horn High School, where he received All-American honors as an infielder. He was the 21st pick in the 1974 amateur draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers. In 1984, he was traded from the Cleveland Indians to the Chicago Cubs in mid-1984 for Mel Hall and Joe Carter. He won 16 games for the Cubs while losing only one, helping them to the division championship. He started the first game of the 1984 NLCS against the San Diego Padres, giving up two hits and no runs, gaining the victory and hitting a home run. Five days later, he pitched the final game of the series and posted the loss after giving up four runs in the seventh inning. Sutcliffe won the Cy Young Award with a unanimous vote, beating out Dwight Gooden and Bruce Sutter, and finished fourth in the league MVP voting. When he re-signed with the Cubs as a free agent the following year, his contract briefly made him the highest-paid pitcher in baseball. In 1987, he won 18 games and finished second in the league's Cy Young voting to Steve Bedrosian despite playing for a last-place Cubs team. He also received the 1987 Roberto Clemente Award. On July 29, 1988, in Philadelphia, Sutcliffe stole home plate during an 8–3 win over the Phillies, in which he also notched the victory. In 1989, he won 16 games and made his final All-Star appearance, helping the Cubs to another division title, but the Cubs lost to the San Francisco Giants in the playoffs. Recurring arm injuries caused him to miss most of the 1990 and 1991 seasons, and the Cubs did not offer him a contract for the next season. He signed with the Baltimore Orioles, going 16–15 and 10–10 in 1992 and 1993, starting the first game at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. He ended his career by signing a one-year minor league contract with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1994, going 6–4 in an injury-plagued season. He retired with a career record of 171–139, with an ERA of 4.08. He holds the unique distinction of having won each of the following league awards, once each, and each in a different season: Rookie of the Year (1979), Cy Young Award (1984), ERA leader (1982), and wins leader (1987). Sutcliffe also has the distinction of being the pitcher who faced all-time MLB home run leader Barry Bonds the most times without giving up a home run once, with 51 plate appearances between the two.

In Their Own Story

Under the summer lights at Wrigley, the wind often danced across the bleachers as Sutcliffe gripped the ball. With a sharp slider that broke late against the ivy-covered brick wall behind home plate, he struck out another batter. The roar from the North Side wasn't just for a win; it was for the belief that this time, the championship might actually be within reach.

Reader's Guide

Sutcliffe was a right-handed pitcher known for his effectiveness with the Chicago Cubs, particularly in 1984 when he went 16-1 for the team and won the Cy Young Award. He was a three-time All-Star and won the National League Rookie of the Year in 1979 with the Dodgers. After his playing career, he became a broadcaster for ESPN and Marquee Sports Network.

Did You Know?

• Sutcliffe was nicknamed 'the Red Baron'.
• He stole home plate on July 29, 1988, a rare feat for a pitcher.
• He faced Barry Bonds 51 times without allowing a home run, the most of any pitcher.
• Sutcliffe was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2008 but returned to work after treatment.