Former Red Sox pitcher Dick Drago died Thursday at 78 after suffering complications from surgery, according to the Boston Globe.
“We’re saddened by the passing of Dick Drago, a staple of the 70’s Red Sox pitching staff and a beloved teammate,” the team tweeted. “We extend our sympathies to the Drago family.”
Drago was an MLB pitcher from 1969 to 1981, playing his first five seasons with the Kansas City Royals before being traded to Boston in 1974, where he was both a starting and relief pitcher. (RELATED: Chicago Cubs Make Powerhouse Manager Hire By Stealing Craig Counsell Away From Milwaukee Brewers: REPORT)
“[1974] was the most difficult year for me on my arm,” Drago said in a 2009 interview. “I would pitch a couple of games in relief. Then a starter would come up lame and I would fill in as the starter. That happened all year and at the end of the year, I felt like I had pitched 300 innings.”
We’re saddened by the passing of Dick Drago, a staple of the 70’s Red Sox pitching staff and a beloved teammate.
We extend our sympathies to the Drago family. pic.twitter.com/CVrnMWkDH7
— Red Sox (@RedSox) November 4, 2023
Drago played a key role in Boston’s 1975 season, when the team went to seven games in the World Series and came within one run of breaking the “Curse of the Bambino,” a championship drought that began in 1919 and lasted until 2004. As a closer that season, Drago racked up 15 saves for the Red Sox.
Drago finished his career with a 108-117 win-loss record, 3.62 ERA, 58 saves and 987 strikeouts.