Six time All-Star pitcher ‘Sudden' Sam McDowell dies at age 84

Sam McDowell also known as ‘Sudden’ passed away at age 84.

The former All-Star pitcher McDowell died on Monday, October 5, 2026, though his cause of death still remains unknown.

McDowell pitched in the Major Basketball League for 15 seasons, and spent most of his career with the then-Cleveland Indians, for 11 seasons.

While for the remaining time, he spent two seasons with the San Francisco Giants, two seasons with the New York Yankees and the final season with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

McDowell, known as “Sudden Sam,” won the American League ERA title in 1965 with a stunning 2.18 ERA and made the first of his six All-Star Games that season.

McDowell, in his 15 seasons, posted a 141-134 record with a 3.17 ERA in 425 appearances.

The Pittsburgh native was also inducted into the Guardians Hall of Fame.

McDowell started his MLB career when he turned 18 but was out of baseball by 32 in 1975, because that was the year the star pitcher was tossed from baseball due to his struggle with alcohol.

After going through a rehab in 1978, he returned to college and became a licensed therapist in sports psychology.

McDowell then switched to baseball, the game he lived through his life, working for the Toronto Blue Jays and Texas Rangers from 1987-2016, as an addiction and recovery consultant for the Baseball Assistance Team.