Pat Zachry, a talented and well-liked right-hander who made an All-Star Game, won a Rookie of the Year Award and a World Series, and was once traded for Tom Seaver over the course of 10 big-league seasons, died this week following a lengthy illness, according to longtime New York Mets public relations guru Jay Horwitz. He was 71 years old.
Hall of Famer and former battery mate Johnny Bench tweeted the following message about Zachry:
One of the great characters and an unbelievable teammate passed yesterday! #PatZachry was ROY in 1976, had 2 successful starts that postseason and [was] one of the key players in the Tom Seaver trade. Tears have been shed for our friend!
Zachry made an impact at the onset of his career, debuting in 1976 and subsequently posting a 128 ERA+ and a 1.72 strikeout-to-walk ratio. His performance was deemed good enough to earn him a share of the National League's Rookie of the Year Award alongside San Diego Padres' reliever Butch Metzger. Zachry then helped the Reds secure a World Series victory by delivering a quality start in Game 3 against the New York Yankees.
Alas, Zachry wasn't long for the Reds. He would begin the 1977 season off in a slow manner following an offseason operation to correct a hernia, according to his SABR biography. The Reds then traded Zachry that June as part of a four-player package sent to the Mets in exchange for Tom Seaver. Zachry would have his moments with the Mets, making the 1978 All-Star Game among them, but too often found himself injured or otherwise unable to stack up in a favorable manner when compared to Seaver. (To be fair, that's true of most all pitchers.)
Bad luck seemed to follow Zachry, even during his All-Star campaign. Upon exiting his July 24 start against Cincinnati, he attempted to kick a batting helmet in frustration. Instead he whiffed, as SABR notes, "catching a spike in the wooden steps, and causing a hairline fracture in his foot." Zachry missed the rest of the season.
Zachry would continue to be impacted by injuries, dealing with elbow issues and other maladies. He would top the 150-inning mark just once more in his career, in 1980. By the time the Mets were rounding into powerhouse form, Zachry found himself shipped to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Jorge Orta in December 1982. His time as a starter was essentially over by then, and from that point onward, he would open just one of his final 108 appearances.
Zachry finished his career with a brief stint as a member of the Philadelphia Phillies. Overall, he compiled a 3.52 ERA (102 ERA+) and a 1.35 strikeout-to-walk ratio. His contributions were worth an estimated 10.7 Wins Above Replacement, according to Baseball Reference. It's clear that he could've accumulated even better marks had his body cooperated.
