Ron Taylor, pitcher who won two World Series with Mets and Cardinals, dies at 87
A right-handed pitcher who was primarily a reliever, Taylor began his career with the Cleveland Indians in 1962, pitching 11 scoreless innings against the Boston Red Sox in his debut.
He would play for four other clubs during his time in the big leagues, making his longest stops with the St. Louis Cardinals from 1963 to 1965, and the New York Mets from 1967 to 1971. Taylor won the World Series with both teams.
We are saddened to learn of the passing of 1969 World Series Champion Ron Taylor.https://t.co/PCgcENtLls
— New York Mets (@Mets) June 16, 2025
While not a statistical giant, Taylor's career included numerous clutch performances that helped his teams bring home championship rings. He remains the only Canadian to win the World Series with multiple teams, according to the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame.
His first title came in 1964 with the St. Louis Cardinals, who clawed their way into the World Series in the regular season's final two weeks. Taylor recorded eight wins and eight saves that season, and the Cardinals would knock out the New York Yankees in the World Series in seven games.
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He also made crucial saves for the 1969 Miracle Mets. One year prior, the Mets had gone 73-89 and finished second-to-last in the National League. But Taylor helped break the slump, leading the team with 59 appearances and 13 saves.
The Mets, an expansion franchise in its seventh year at the time, went on to win their first World Series in a historic 4-1 upset over a Baltimore Orioles team that went 109-53 that season.
In a statement memorializing him, the Mets attributed Taylor's death to a 'lengthy illness' but did not specify a cause. The team called him an 'unsung hero' of their first title run.
Taylor built a successful medical career after he retired from baseball in 1972. He received his medical degree from the University of Toronto, his alma mater, in 1977, and joined his hometown Toronto Blue Jays as a physician two years later.
The Toronto Blue Jays are saddened to learn of the passing of long-time team doctor and former Major League Baseball player, Ron Taylor. Known to many as Dr. Baseball, the Toronto native won four World Series Championships during his illustrious career, including two with the… pic.twitter.com/UKPepsuD70
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) June 16, 2025
For more than 30 years, Taylor treated the team while also running his private practice in the city. He retired from medicine in 2014, though the Blue Jays still listed him as Physician Emeritus until his death.
The Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame inducted Taylor in 1985, and he entered Canada's Sports Hall of Fame in 1993.
(Top photo of Ron Taylor, right, receiving a key to the city from New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio in 2019 as part of the Mets' 1969 50th Anniversary Celebration: Michael Karas / NorthJersey.com via Imagn Images)
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