‘Unbelievable teammate;’ Former Reds pitcher dead at 81, traded for Tom Seaver in 1977

A former Cincinnati Reds pitcher who was named National Rookie of the Year and traded for hall-of-famer Tom Seaver has died.

>>De La Cruz’s hits 2 home runs, including inside the parker, to eclipse Brewers

Pat Zachry died Thursday at the age of 81 at his son’s home in Austin, Texas after a lengthy illness, according to the Associated Press.

He played for the Reds from 1976-1977 and was traded during the 1977 season to the New York Mets for Tom Seaver.

Zachry went 14-7 with a 2.74 ERA as the Reds won the 1976 World Series. He also led the team with 143 strikeouts, his online obituary said.

He beat Philadelphia in Game 2 of the 1976 NLCS and won Game 3 of the World Series at Yankee Stadium.

“One of the great characters and an unbelievable teammate passed (Thursday)!” Reds Hall of Fame catcher Johnny Bench wrote on social media. “Tears have been shed for our friend!”

Zachry shared the NL Rookie of the Year award with Butch Metzger.

He played with the Mets through 1982 and then retired after short stints with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies.

©2024 Cox Media Group