1987 Toronto Blue Jays season

The 1987 Toronto Blue Jays season was the franchise's 11th season of Major League Baseball. It resulted in the Blue Jays finishing second in the American League East with a record of 96 wins and 66 losses. They had been in first place by 3½ games over the Detroit Tigers with a week left to play, but they dropped their next seven games in a row, capped off by a sweep at the hands of Detroit at Tiger Stadium on the last weekend of the season, and lost the division by two games.

1987 Toronto Blue Jays
Major League affiliations
Location
Results
Record96–66 (.593)
Divisional place2nd
Other information
Owner(s)Labatt Breweries,
Imperial Trust,
Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce
General manager(s)Pat Gillick
Manager(s)Jimy Williams
Local televisionCFTO-TV
(Don Chevrier, Tony Kubek, Fergie Olver)
The Sports Network
(Buck Martinez, Fergie Olver)
Local radioCJCL (AM)
(Jerry Howarth, Tom Cheek)
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Offseason

Regular season
  • Blue Jays left fielder George Bell drove in 134 runs to lead the American League, along with 47 home runs, and was selected the league's Most Valuable Player in a close vote over the Tigers' Alan Trammell.
  • Tom Henke established himself as an elite closer, as he led the American League in saves with 34.
  • Starting pitcher Jimmy Key led the American League with a 2.76 ERA.
  • July 21, 1987: Jimmy Key threw exactly three pitches and recorded three outs.[4] This was accomplished in the second inning.
  • September 14, 1987: The Blue Jays set a Major League record by hitting 10 home runs in a game against the Baltimore Orioles.

Season standings
AL East W L Pct. GB Home Road
Detroit Tigers 9864 0.605 — 54–27 44–37
Toronto Blue Jays 9666 0.593 2 52–29 44–37
Milwaukee Brewers 9171 0.562 7 48–33 43–38
New York Yankees 8973 0.549 9 51–30 38–43
Boston Red Sox 7884 0.481 20 50–30 28–54
Baltimore Orioles 6795 0.414 31 31–51 36–44
Cleveland Indians 61101 0.377 37 35–46 26–55

Record vs. opponents
1987 American League Records

Sources:
Team BAL BOS CAL CWS CLE DET KC MIL MIN NYY OAK SEA TEX TOR
Baltimore —1–129–38–47–64–99–32–115–73–107–54–87–51–12
Boston 12–1—4–83–97–62–116–66–77–57–64–87–57–56–7
California 3–98–4—8–57–53–95–87–58–53–96–77–65–85–7
Chicago 4–89–35–8—7–53–96–76–66–75–79–46–77–64–8
Cleveland 6–76–75–75–7—4–96–64–93–96–74–85–72–105–8
Detroit 9–411–29–39–39–4—5–76–78–45–85–77–58–47–6
Kansas City 3–96–68–57–66–67–5—4–88–55–75–89–47–68–4
Milwaukee 11–27–65–76–69–47–68–4—3–97–66–64–89–39–4
Minnesota 7–55–75–87–69–34–85–89–3—6–610–39–46–73–9
New York 10–36–79–37–57–68–57–56–76–6—5–77–55–76–7
Oakland 5–78–47–64–98–47–58–56–63–107–5—5–86–77–5
Seattle 8–45–76–77–67–55–74–98–44–95–78–5—9–42–10
Texas 5–75–78–56–710–24–86–73–97–67–57–64–9—3–9
Toronto 12–17–67–58–48–56–74–84–99–37–65–710–29–3—

Notable transactions

Roster
1987 Toronto Blue Jays roster
Roster
Pitchers Catchers

Infielders

 Outfielders

Other batters

 Manager

Coaches

Game log
1987 Game Log
April
# Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record
1April 6Indians7 – 3Key (1-0)Candiotti (0-1)40,4041-0
2April 8Indians5 – 1Clancy (1-0)Swindell (0-1)20,3882-0
3April 9Indians14 – 3Niekro (1-0)Johnson (0-1)Carlton (1)21,0882-1
4April 10@ Red Sox3 – 0Hurst (1-0)Stieb (0-1)33,6792-2
5April 11@ Red Sox11 – 1Key (2-0)Clemens (0-1)33,3653-2
6April 12@ Red Sox8 – 3Stanley (1-1)Clancy (1-1)27,5213-3
7April 14White Sox4 – 3 (13)Eichhorn (1-0)McKeon (0-1)17,3244-3
8April 15White Sox5 – 0DeLeón (2-0)Stieb (0-2)17,2854-4
9April 16Red Sox4 – 2Key (3-0)Clemens (0-2)Henke (1)22,0655-4
10April 17Red Sox10 – 5Cerutti (1-0)Stanley (1-2)Eichhorn (1)36,4006-4
11April 18Red Sox6 – 4Sellers (1-0)Clancy (1-2)Schiraldi (2)39,1076-5
12April 19Red Sox4 – 1Nipper (2-0)Johnson (0-2)Gardner (2)28,1406-6
13April 20@ Indians8 – 7 (10)Musselman (1-0)Jones (0-1)11,1647-6
14April 21@ Indians5 – 0Candiotti (1-3)Key (3-1)7,2037-7
15April 22@ Indians6 – 3Eichhorn (2-0)Carlton (1-2)Henke (2)6,0008-7
16April 24@ White Sox4 – 2 (10)Eichhorn (3-0)James (0-1)Henke (3)10,1059-7
17April 25@ White Sox5 – 4James (1-1)Eichhorn (3-1)18,6449-8
18April 26@ White Sox5 – 2Key (4-1)DeLeón (2-2)Henke (4)20,44310-8
19April 28Twins5 – 1Clancy (2-2)Viola (1-3)21,18211-8
20April 29Twins8 – 1Johnson (1-2)Smithson (3-1)19,02012-8
May
# Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record
21May 1Rangers3 – 2 (10)Musselman (2-0)Williams (2-2)22,15413-8
22May 2Rangers9 – 8Eichhorn (4-1)Harris (1-3)28,35214-8
23May 3Rangers3 – 1Clancy (3-2)Correa (1-2)Henke (5)32,32515-8
--May 4@ RoyalsPostponed (rain) Rescheduled for July 3
24May 5@ Royals6 – 4Leibrandt (4-1)Johnson (1-3)Gleaton (1)19,24515-9
25May 6@ Royals6 – 3Black (1-0)Key (4-2)Gleaton (2)28,08315-10
26May 8@ Rangers7 – 4Clancy (4-2)Guzmán (1-2)Eichhorn (2)21,83216-10
27May 9@ Rangers15 – 4Stieb (1-2)Correa (1-3)28,84717-10
28May 10@ Rangers9 – 8Witt (1-1)Eichhorn (4-2)Mohorcic (3)17,35617-11
29May 11Royals4 – 0Key (5-2)Leibrandt (4-2)24,15418-11
30May 12Royals3 – 1Black (2-0)Cerutti (1-1)Quisenberry (3)30,03418-12
31May 13@ Twins7 – 0Clancy (5-2)Portugal (1-2)9,15819-12
32May 14@ Twins16 – 4Stieb (2-2)Straker (2-1)10,05320-12
33May 15@ Athletics3 – 2Johnson (2-3)Plunk (1-2)Henke (6)13,13921-12
34May 16@ Athletics10 – 3Haas (1-0)Key (5-3)20,90021-13
35May 17@ Athletics3 – 0Stewart (5-3)Cerutti (1-2)30,51121-14
36May 18@ Angels12 – 0Clancy (6-2)Cook (1-2)23,71022-14
37May 19@ Angels2 – 1Buice (2-2)Musselman (2-1)Moore (5)23,62222-15
38May 20@ Angels5 – 4 (10)Lucas (1-1)Henke (0-1)23,76622-16
39May 22@ Mariners7 – 5Eichhorn (5-2)Bankhead (5-3)Henke (7)10,01223-16
40May 23@ Mariners6 – 2Clancy (7-2)Moore (2-5)13,48921-12
41May 24@ Mariners5 – 2Langston (5-4)Stieb (2-3)12,75124-17
42May 25@ Mariners6 – 5Key (6-3)Morgan (4-5)Musselman (1)8,49925-17
43May 27Athletics4 – 1Haas (2-1)Johnson (2-4)Ontiveros (1)25,24525-18
44May 28Athletics4 – 3Stewart (6-4)Clancy (7-3)Leiper (1)27,01725-19
45May 29Angels3 – 1Stieb (3-3)Sutton (2-5)Henke (8)33,10726-19
46May 30Angels4 – 3 (10)Eichhorn (6-2)Lazorko (0-2)36,05527-19
47May 31Angels7 – 2Cerutti (2-2)Candelaria (4-2)40,31328-19
June
# Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record
48June 1Mariners2 – 0Bankhead (6-3)Johnson (2-5)Wilkinson (2)28,29428-20
49June 2Mariners4 – 3Musselman (3-1)Moore (2-7)Henke (9)31,07629-20
50June 3Mariners7 – 2Stieb (4-3)Langston (6-5)Eichhorn (3)30,50230-20
51June 5Orioles6 – 2Key (7-3)Bell (5-3)32,51431-20
52June 6Orioles8 – 5 (11)Musselman (4-1)Dixon (3-5)36,34532-20
53June 7Orioles3 – 2Eichhorn (7-2)Boddicker (5-2)42,25433-20
54June 8@ Yankees11 – 0Stieb (5-3)Rhoden (6-4)25,52634-20
55June 9@ Yankees7 – 2Cerutti (3-2)Guidry (0-2)29,76535-20
56June 10@ Yankees4 – 1Key (8-3)John (6-2)Henke (10)26,80636-20
57June 11@ Orioles8 – 6Johnson (3-5)Habyan (1-2)Henke (11)17,40937-20
58June 12@ Orioles8 – 5Eichhorn (8-2)Boddicker (5-3)Musselman (2)27,52138-20
59June 13@ Orioles8 – 2Cerutti (4-2)McGregor (2-6)25,35939-20
60June 14@ Orioles8 – 5Schmidt (7-1)Eichhorn (8-3)DeLeón (1)31,35839-21
61June 15Tigers2 – 1Terrell (5-6)Key (8-4)King (4)36,22539-22
62June 16Tigers10 – 4Lavelle (1-0)Robinson (4-3)36,39840-22
63June 17Tigers3 – 2Tanana (6-3)Clancy (7-4)Hernández (2)46,22740-23
64June 18Brewers6 – 3Nieves (5-4)Stieb (5-4)Plesac (15)31,35340-24
65June 19Brewers15 – 6Musselman (5-1)Clear (5-2)31,23041-24
66June 20Brewers3 – 2Wegman (6-6)Key (8-5)Plesac (16)38,46541-25
67June 21Brewers7 – 6Musselman (6-1)Crim (3-5)Henke (12)44,44442-25
68June 22@ Tigers2 – 0Tanana (7-3)Clancy (7-5)28,97842-26
69June 23@ Tigers8 – 7Stieb (6-4)Robinson (4-4)Henke (13)29,27543-26
70June 24@ Tigers5 – 3Cerutti (5-2)Morris (10-3)Musselman (3)34,86644-26
71June 26@ Brewers10 – 5Plesac (4-0)Henke (0-2)29,46144-27
72June 27@ Brewers8 – 1Clancy (8-5)Nieves (5-5)48,15945-27
73June 28@ Brewers11 – 5Higuera (6-7)Stieb (6-5)42,38945-28
74June 29Yankees15 – 14Righetti (5-3)Henke (0-3)42,17945-29
75June 30Yankees4 – 0Guidry (1-3)Wells (0-1)45,29745-30
July
# Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record
76July 1Yankees6 – 1 (12)Clements (2-0)Musselman (6-2)47,82845-31
77July 3@ Royals6 – 4Gubicza (7-8)Clancy (8-6)Gleaton (4)45-32
78July 3@ Royals5 – 4Farr (3-2)Henke (0-4)40,61945-33
79July 4@ Royals9 – 1Black (4-2)Wells (0-2)Stoddard (1)40,74645-34
80July 5@ Royals4 – 3 (10)Quisenberry (4-0)Eichhorn (8-4)25,60745-35
81July 6Rangers6 – 4Key (9-5)Hough (9-4)Henke (14)28,26446-35
82July 7Rangers6 – 2Clancy (9-6)Loynd (1-5)Henke (15)28,01347-35
83July 8Rangers5 – 2Musselman (7-2)Witt (4-4)Henke (16)30,34148-35
84July 9Royals7 – 1Núñez (1-0)Black (4-3)31,29049-35
85July 10Royals7 – 0Stieb (7-5)Leibrandt (8-7)35,20050-35
86July 11Royals2 – 1Saberhagen (15-3)Key (9-6)38,28950-36
87July 12Royals3 – 2Clancy (10-6)Black (4-4)Henke (17)40,26851-36
88July 16@ Twins5 – 2Key (10-6)Blyleven (8-7)Henke (18)34,33452-36
89July 17@ Twins3 – 2Viola (9-6)Eichhorn (8-5)Reardon (18)28,23452-37
90July 18@ Twins7 – 5Stieb (8-5)Niekro (5-7)38,36553-37
91July 19@ Twins7 – 6Schatzeder (1-0)Lavelle (1-1)Reardon (19)32,09553-38
92July 20@ Rangers5 – 3Cerutti (6-2)Hough (10-6)Henke (19)27,50154-38
93July 21@ Rangers6 – 4Mohorcic (6-2)Musselman (7-3)13,79154-39
94July 22@ Rangers5 – 3Russell (3-1)Lavelle (1-2)Mohorcic (13)16,38054-40
95July 23Twins4 – 3Stieb (9-5)Frazier (5-5)35,32055-40
96July 24Twins8 – 6Eichhorn (9-5)Reardon (5-5)Henke (20)30,38256-40
97July 25Twins13 – 9Schatzeder (2-0)Musselman (7-4)36,39556-41
98July 26Twins4 – 2Key (11-6)Blyleven (9-8)Henke (21)33,35357-41
99July 27Red Sox10 – 8Musselman (8-4)Schiraldi (5-5)Henke (22)35,42558-41
100July 28Red Sox5 – 4Musselman (9-4)Sambito (1-3)Henke (23)36,12259-41
101July 29Red Sox6 – 5Schiraldi (6-5)Lavelle (1-3)35,05259-42
102July 31Indians8 – 3Key (12-6)Ritter (0-1)30,25660-42
August
# Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record
103August 1Indians3 – 0Bailes (4-4)Clancy (10-7)Stewart (2)38,43560-43
104August 2Indians11 – 5Stieb (10-5)Akerfelds (0-2)Lavelle (1)33,35161-43
105August 3@ White Sox14 – 5Musselman (10-4)Bannister (6-9)12,19362-43
106August 4@ White Sox4 – 1Cerutti (7-2)Allen (0-6)Henke (24)13,31963-43
107August 5@ White Sox3 – 2Key (13-6)Dotson (8-8)Henke (25)13,36064-43
108August 6@ Indians14 – 5Bailes (5-4)Clancy (10-8)7,97864-44
109August 7@ Indians15 – 1Stieb (11-5)Akerfelds (0-3)24,04965-44
110August 8@ Indians3 – 1Candiotti (5-11)Núñez (1-1)16,70665-45
111August 9@ Indians5 – 1Cerutti (8-2)Schrom (5-8)13,89066-45
112August 10@ Red Sox9 – 1Clemens (12-7)Clancy (10-9)30,60666-46
113August 11@ Red Sox8 – 3Key (14-6)Stanley (3-12)32,55567-46
114August 12@ Red Sox10 – 4Stieb (12-5)Sellers (4-5)33,40368-46
115August 13White Sox10 – 3Bannister (8-9)Niekro (7-12)45,15268-47
116August 14White Sox3 – 2Cerutti (9-2)DeLeón (5-11)Henke (26)37,23669-47
117August 15White Sox1 – 0Dotson (10-8)Clancy (10-10)37,15569-48
118August 16White Sox6 – 4Eichhorn (10-5)Searage (2-3)Henke (27)41,38470-48
119August 18@ Athletics2 – 1Stieb (13-5)Eckersley (6-6)Henke (28)34,82371-48
120August 19@ Athletics7 – 3Stewart (17-8)Cerutti (9-3)16,03971-49
121August 20@ Athletics7 – 6Lavelle (2-3)Cadaret (2-1)Henke (29)12,60772-49
122August 21@ Angels3 – 1Reuss (4-1)Niekro (7-13)Minton (10)47,92572-50
123August 22@ Angels2 – 0Núñez (2-1)Witt (15-9)Henke (30)34,20973-50
124August 23@ Angels5 – 2McCaskill (4-5)Stieb (13-6)Buice (14)42,00073-51
125August 24@ Mariners7 – 3Cerutti (10-3)Morgan (10-14)11,86974-51
126August 25@ Mariners6 – 3Clancy (11-10)Moore (6-16)Eichhorn (4)12,36775-51
127August 27Athletics9 – 4Key (15-6)Cadaret (3-2)38,02676-51
128August 28Athletics3 – 2Stewart (18-9)Stieb (13-7)Eckersley (10)32,25676-52
129August 29Athletics6 – 5 (10)Plunk (2-4)Eichhorn (10-6)Eckersley (11)42,38876-53
130August 30Athletics13 – 3Clancy (12-10)Rijo (2-7)38,21177-53
131August 31Angels8 – 7 (11)Fraser (9-8)Henke (0-5)Lucas (3)30,22477-54
September
# Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record
132September 1Angels4 – 3 (10)Musselman (11-4)Witt (15-10)31,10178-54
133September 2Angels7 – 6Wells (1-2)Buice (5-6)33,40879-54
134September 4Mariners6 – 5 (10)Núñez (3-1)Powell (0-3)33,04280-54
135September 5Mariners3 – 0Flanagan (4-6)Campbell (0-3)Henke (31)38,43681-54
136September 6Mariners3 – 2 (11)Núñez (4-1)Núñez (3-3)44,28782-54
137September 7@ Brewers5 – 3Ward (1-0)Plesac (5-6)Henke (32)16,93583-54
138September 8@ Brewers6 – 4Bosio (10-5)Stieb (13-8)Crim (9)8,05383-55
139September 9@ Brewers6 – 4Clear (7-5)Wells (1-3)10,55583-56
140September 11Yankees6 – 5 (10)Wells (2-3)Righetti (7-4)38,54084-56
141September 12Yankees13 – 1Key (16-6)Rhoden (16-10)45,64885-56
142September 13Yankees8 – 5Hudson (10-6)Cerutti (10-4)Righetti (27)45,31285-57
143September 14Orioles18 – 3Clancy (13-10)Dixon (7-10)27,44686-57
144September 15Orioles6 – 2Flanagan (5-6)Mesa (0-1)27,19287-57
145September 16Orioles7 – 0Key (17-6)Boddicker (10-9)29,35388-57
146September 17@ Yankees6 – 5Righetti (8-4)Henke (0-6)27,03288-58
147September 18@ Yankees6 – 3Clancy (14-10)Allen (0-8)Wells (1)34,11089-58
148September 19@ Yankees4 – 2Gullickson (3-2)Flanagan (5-7)Righetti (29)38,23989-59
149September 20@ Yankees6 – 2Wells (3-3)Leiter (1-1)45,26790-59
150September 21@ Orioles2 – 1Cerutti (11-4)Boddicker (10-10)Henke (33)13,68391-59
151September 22@ Orioles8 – 4Wells (4-3)Ballard (2-7)13,92392-59
152September 23@ Orioles6 – 1Clancy (15-10)Habyan (5-6)22,59093-59
153September 24Tigers4 – 3Flanagan (6-7)Morris (18-10)Henke (34)42,43694-59
154September 25Tigers3 – 2Musselman (12-4)Hernández (3-4)46,23395-59
155September 26Tigers10 – 9Núñez (5-1)Henneman (9-3)46,42996-59
156September 27Tigers3 – 2 (13)Henneman (10-3)Núñez (5-2)Noles (2)46,34696-60
157September 28Brewers6 – 4Wegman (11-11)Flanagan (6-8)Clear (6)34,11396-61
158September 29Brewers5 – 3Bosio (11-7)Key (17-7)34,31496-62
159September 30Brewers5 – 2Nieves (14-8)Stieb (13-9)35,24596-63
October
# Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record
160October 2@ Tigers4 – 3Alexander (9-0)Clancy (15-11)Henneman (7)45,16796-64
161October 3@ Tigers3 – 2 (12)Henneman (11-3)Musselman (12-5)45,02696-65
162October 4@ Tigers1 – 0Tanana (15-10)Key (17-8)51,00596-66

Player stats

Batting

Starters by position

Note: Pos = position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

= Indicates team leader
Pos Player G AB H Avg. HR RBI
CErnie Whitt135446120.2691975
1BWillie Upshaw150512125.2441558
2BGarth Iorg12231065.210430
3BKelly Gruber13834180.2351236
SSTony Fernández146578186.322567
LFGeorge Bell156610188.30847134
CFLloyd Moseby155592167.2822696
RFJesse Barfield159590155.2632884
DHFred McGriff10729573.2472043

Other batters
Player G AB H Avg. HR RBI
Rance Mulliniks124332103.3101144
Rick Leach9819555.282325
Cecil Fielder8217547.2691432
Nelson Liriano3715838.241210
Manuel Lee5612131.256111
Charlie Moore5110723.215127
Mike Sharperson329620.20809
Juan Beníquez398123.284521
Rob Ducey34489.18816
Jeff DeWillis13253.12012
Matt Stark5121.08300
Greg Myers791.11100
Lou Thornton1221.50000
Alexis Infante100----00

Pitching

Starting pitchers
Player G IP W L ERA SO
Jim Clancy37241⅓15113.54180
Jimmy Key362611782.76161
Dave Stieb331851394.09115
Joe Johnson1466⅔355.1327
Mike Flanagan749⅓322.3743
Phil Niekro312028.257

Other pitchers
Player G IP W L ERA SO
John Cerutti44151⅓1144.4092
José Núñez3797525.0199

Relief pitchers
Player G W L SV ERA SO
Tom Henke7206342.49128
Mark Eichhorn8910643.1796
Jeff Musselman6812534.1554
Gary Lavelle232315.5317
David Wells184313.9932
Duane Ward121006.9410
Don Gordon50004.093

Award winners

All-Star Game

Farm system
See also: Minor League Baseball
Level Team League Manager
AAA Syracuse Chiefs International League Doug Ault
AA Knoxville Blue Jays Southern League Glenn Ezell
A Dunedin Blue Jays Florida State League Bob Bailor
A Myrtle Beach Blue Jays South Atlantic League Barry Foote
A-Short Season St. Catharines Blue Jays New York–Penn League Joe Lonnett
Rookie Medicine Hat Blue Jays Pioneer League Eddie Dennis

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Myrtle Beach[13]

References
  1. Dennis Lamp at Baseball Reference
  2. Luis Leal at Baseball Reference
  3. Ron Shepherd at Baseball Reference
  4. 3 Pitch Inning
  5. Bill Caudill at Baseball Reference
  6. Ryan Thompson at Baseball Reference
  7. Steve Wapnick at Baseball Reference
  8. Darren Lewis at Baseball Reference
  9. Gary Lavelle at Baseball Reference
  10. Mike Flanagan at Baseball Reference
  11. Mike Sharperson at Baseball Reference
  12. Blue Jays All-Stars | bluejays.com: History
  13. Johnson, Lloyd, and Wolff, Miles, ed., The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball, 2nd and 3rd editions. Durham, North Carolina: Baseball America, 1997 and 2007
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