Jerry Koosman Dies at 83, World Series Champion Won 222 Games as Pitcher Across 19 MLB Seasons

Former MLB starting pitcher Jerry Koosman, who spent the majority of his career with the New York Mets, has died at the age of 83.

"We are saddened to share the news that Jerry Koosman has passed away," the Mets announced Sunday. "We send our thoughts and prayers to his family."

Koosman played for the Mets, Minnesota Twins, Chicago White Sox and Philadelphia Phillies across his 19-year MLB career from 1967-85.

He earned two All-Star nods and won a World Series title with New York in 1969.

Koosman compiled a record of 222-209 across 612 total appearances throughout his career, including 527 starts. 140 of his wins came as a member of the Mets, ranking No. 3 on their all-time leaderboard.

Koosman spent his first 12 seasons in New York, quickly developing into a key piece of the team's rotation.

In the 1969 World Series, the Mets won both of his starts against the Baltimore Orioles. This included a complete game in Game 5 of the series, as New York secured a 5-3 win to capture the franchise's first championship.

The left-hander owned a 3.09 ERA during his Mets tenure before he was eventually traded to the Twins in exchange for relief pitcher Jesse Orosco in 1978.

Koosman spent just over two seasons in Minnesota, finishing with a 39-35 record across 83 starts. He was later dealt to the White Sox in the middle of his 1981 campaign.

Koosman would go on to play for Chicago over the next two years before spending his final pair of MLB seasons in Philadelphia, finally retiring from pitching at the age of 42 years old.

Through his 19 years in the majors, he tallied 2,556 strikeouts compared to 1,198 walks while recording 140 complete games. He also boasted a 3.36 ERA.

Koosman was inducted into the New York Mets Hall of Fame in 1989 before his No. 36 was retired by the club in Aug. 2021.