Pat Hentgen

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Hentgen was born in Detroit, Michigan, in 1968. He attended Fraser High School in Fraser, Michigan, and was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the fifth round of the 1986 Major League Baseball draft, aged 17. He signed with the Blue Jays in June 1986. After being drafted, he pitched in the minor leagues from 1986 to 1991, and later returned to the minors in 2002 while with the Baltimore Orioles. He made his MLB debut with the Blue Jays on September 3, 1991. He was a key pitcher for the Blue Jays, winning the AL Cy Young Award in 1996, the first in Blue Jays franchise history. He also played for the St. Louis Cardinals (2000) and Baltimore Orioles (2001–2003) before returning to the Blue Jays in 2004, where he retired in July. He finished his MLB career with a 131–112 record, a 4.32 ERA, and 1,290 strikeouts.

In Their Own Story

Hentgen's most defining season arrived in 1996. After going 8-6 before the All-Star break, he exploded with a 12-4 record afterward, winning back-to-back AL Pitcher of the Month awards in July and August. He finished the year with a 20-10 win-loss record and a 3.22 ERA, ranking second in the American League in both categories. Hentgen led the league with 265.2 innings pitched, 10 complete games, and 3 shutouts, earning him the AL Cy Young Award—the first ever won by a Blue Jays player. However, his tenure ended on a difficult note; after signing as a free agent with the Blue Jays in November 2003, he went 2-9 with a 6.95 ERA in 2004 before announcing his retirement in July.

Reader's Guide

Hentgen's statistical peak came in 1996 when he led the league in innings pitched (265.2), complete games (10), and shutouts (3). He won the AL Cy Young Award that year, going 20–10 with a 3.22 ERA. He was a three-time All-Star (1993, 1994, 1997). He led the AL in innings pitched and complete games in 1997 as well. His best seasons were with the Blue Jays, but he also had a 15–12 season with the Cardinals in 2000.

Did You Know?

• Hentgen won the AL Cy Young Award in 1996, the first in Blue Jays franchise history.
• He led the AL in innings pitched (265.2), complete games (10), and shutouts (3) in 1996.
• Hentgen was a three-time All-Star (1993, 1994, 1997).
• He recorded one of only two saves in his professional career in the minor leagues in 1986.
• Hentgen missed the 1992 World Series due to injury but was awarded a ring.