Former New York Yankees ERA Champion Dies at Age of 80

Another one of the key figures from the 1981 World Series has passed away.

A detailed view of a New York Yankees hat and glove on the bench against the Atlanta Braves in the third inning at Truist Park. / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Former Major League pitcher Rudy May died this week at the age of 80.

Author Jeff Pearlman had the information on Tik Tok.

May is the second former big league pitcher to pass in the last few days, joining Dodgers legend Fernando Valenzuela. The lefty and former Cy Young winner died on Tuesday night at the age of 63 after complications from cancer.

Ironically, those two pitchers faced off against each other in the 1981 World Series as Valenzuela's Dodgers played against May's Yankees. The Dodgers won the World Series but May had an excellent series as a whole, throwing 6.1 innings and pitching to a 2.84 ERA over three appearances. He struck out five in that version of the Fall Classic.

A 16-year veteran, May pitched for the California Angels, Montreal Expos, Baltimore Orioles and Yankees. He spent parts of seven years each with California and New York, while spending two each with Montreal and Baltimore. Lifetime, he was 152-156 with a 3.46 ERA.

He won the American League ERA title with the Yankees in 1980, when he had a 2.46.

The Dodgers and Yankees will meet again in this year's World Series, which begins Friday night in Los Angeles. The Dodgers will honor Valenzuela with a uniform patch and a likely pregame ceremony, while it's unknown if May will be honored as well at this time.

May made the playoffs twice in his career with the Yankees. He pitched in the 1980 ALCS against the Kansas City Royals and the 1981 playoff run.

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