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Dennis Eckersley played in Major League Baseball for 23 years, with teams like the Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox, and Oakland Athletics. He rose to prominence as a closer, being the only pitcher in MLB history to have both a 20-win season and a 50-save season.
Eckersley went on to work as a part-time color commentator for Red Sox broadcasts on New England Sports Network after retiring. He was a six-time All-Star, World Series champion, American League MVP, and Cy Young Award winner in the American League. In 2004, he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
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Dennis Eckersley Early Life And High School
Dennis Eckersley was born in Oakland, California on October 3, 1954, and grew up in Fremont. He attended Washington High School as a kid, where he played quarterback for the football team for three years. He retired from the sport as a senior to protect his throwing arm from injury.
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Dennis Eckersley Career
Eckersley also played baseball in high school, winning 29 games as a pitcher and throwing a 90-mph fastball. Eckersley was selected by the Cleveland Indians in the third round of the 1972 MLB draught. This initially disappointed him because he had hoped to be picked by the Giants.
Eckersley eventually made his MLB debut in April 1975, and he was an instant success, posting a 13-7 record with a 2.6 ERA before being voted American League Rookie Pitcher of the Year. He also became a fan favorite because of his long hair, mustache, and powerful fastball.
Eckersley’s most memorable game with the Indians was a no-hitter against the California Angels in May of 1977. That year, he was named to his first All-Star Game. In 1978, Eckersley was dealt to the Boston Red Sox. He won a career-high 20 games that season. He won 17 games in 1979. Over his final four years with the Red Sox, Eckersley’s success waned, with his fastball in particular losing its sparkle. He concluded his term with a 43-48 record in 1984.
Eckersley was traded to the Chicago Cubs during the 1984 season. Significantly, the squad went on to make its first postseason berth in 39 years that year. Eckersley went 11-7 the following season, including two shutouts. Unfortunately, his performance decreased in 1986, as he went 6-11 with a 4.57 ERA. Eckersley had been suffering from drinking throughout this time, and he entered himself into recovery after the season ended.
Eckersley was dealt to the Oakland Athletics in 1987 because manager Tony La Russa wanted to use him as a long reliever or set-up starter. In his first season with the Athletics, he saved 16 games as a closer. The next season, he cemented his reputation as a strong closer by posting a league-leading 45 saves.
The Athletics progressed to the ALCS, where Eckersley saved all four games en route to a 4-0 victory over the Red Sox. Although the Athletics lost the World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers, they came back strong in 1989 to sweep the San Francisco Giants.
Eckersley was the most dominant closer in baseball from 1988 through 1992. He saved 220 games during this span and never had an ERA higher than 2.96. Furthermore, Eckersley walked three hitters in 57.2 innings in 1989, four batsmen in 73.1 innings in 1990, and nine batters in 76 innings in 1991.
In acknowledgment of his accomplishments, he received both the AL MVP and the Cy Young Award in 1992. His numbers dropped following that, and he became a free agent after the 1994 season. Eckersley signed a one-year contract extension with the Athletics in 1995.
In 1996, Eckersley was dealt to the St. Louis Cardinals. He continued to dominate as a closer in his two seasons with the organization, recording 66 saves. Eckersley joined a second time with the Red Sox in 1998, this time as a set-up man for Tom Gordon. He announced his retirement from the MLB at the end of the year. Eckersley’s career record was 197-171 with 390 saves and a 3.5 ERA.
Dennis Eckersley’s Net Worth
Dennis Eckersley earned a total salary of $27.6 million during his career. He earned millions more through endorsements. He earned $3.8 million per season at the pinnacle of his career in 1993 and 1994. After adjusting for inflation, that equates to approximately $7.5 million today. Dennis Eckersley is a $20 million net-worth retired American former professional baseball player.
Eckersley began working as a studio analyst and color commentator for New England Sports Network Red Sox broadcasts in 2003. He rapidly became noted for his pleasant demeanor and his on-air lingo. Eckersley worked as a studio analyst for TBS from 2008 to 2012, after which he called Sunday games and handled postseason analysis for the network.
Dennis Eckersley’s Private Life
Eckersley has had several marriages. In 1973, he married his first wife, Denise, and they had a daughter named Mandee. Denise had an affair with Eckersley’s colleague Rick Manning, with whom she had an affair during their marriage. Eckersley married model Nancy O’Neil two years later.
The couple separated shortly after Eckersley retired from baseball in 1998, and they had a daughter named Allie and a son named Jake. Jennifer, Eckersley’s third wife, is a former lobbyist. Eckersley, in particular, is the focus of an MLB Network documentary. The film, “Eck: A Story of Saving,” debuted on the network in December of 2018.
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