:Mike Kekich

{{Infobox baseball biography

| name = Mike Kekich

| image =Mike Kekich 1978.jpg

| caption =Kekich in 1978

| position = Pitcher

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1945|4|2}}

| birth_place = San Diego, California, U.S.

| death_date =

| bats =Right

| throws = Left

|debutleague = MLB

| debutdate =June 9

| debutyear =1965

| debutteam =Los Angeles Dodgers

|debut2league = NPB

| debut2date =July 7

| debut2year =1974

| debut2team =Nippon-Ham Fighters

|final2league = MLB

| final2date =October 1

| final2year =1977

| final2team =Seattle Mariners

|finalleague = NPB

| finaldate =September 28

| finalyear =1974

| finalteam =Nippon-Ham Fighters

|statleague = MLB

| stat1label = Win–loss record

| stat1value =39–51

| stat2label =Earned run average

| stat2value =4.59

| stat3label =Strikeouts

| stat3value =497

|stat2league = NPB

| stat21label = Win–loss record

| stat21value =5–11

| stat22label =Earned run average

| stat22value =4.12

| stat23label =Strikeouts

| stat23value =90

| teams =

Los Angeles Dodgers ({{mlby|1965}}, {{mlby|1968}})
New York Yankees ({{mlby|1969}}–{{mlby|1973}})
Cleveland Indians ({{mlby|1973}})
Nippon-Ham Fighters ({{npby|1974}})
Texas Rangers ({{mlby|1975}})
Seattle Mariners ({{mlby|1977}})

}}

Michael Dennis Kekich (born April 2, 1945) is an American former professional baseball pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians, Texas Rangers and Seattle Mariners in parts of nine seasons spanning 1965–1977. In 1974, he played in Japan for the Nippon-Ham Fighters.

Career

Kekich was a left-handed pitcher who began his career as a starter but later moved to the bullpen as a reliever.{{Cite web |title=Mike Kekich Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/kekicmi01.shtml |access-date=2024-08-24 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}} He had a modestly successful career in the Major Leagues, but he is best remembered for trading families with fellow Yankees pitcher Fritz Peterson before the 1973 season.{{cite news|last1=Blackman|first1=Ted|title=Flash: Fritz Peterson, Mike Kekich trade wives|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=uscuAAAAIBAJ&sjid=f6EFAAAAIBAJ&pg=7086,1770267&dq=mike+kekich+fritz+peterson+trade&hl=en|accessdate=July 18, 2015|work=The Gazette|date=March 7, 1973|location=Montreal|page=13}} The trade worked out better for Peterson, who later married Kekich's wife, Susanne, than it did for Kekich, who soon broke up with Peterson's wife, Marilyn.{{cite news|last1=Moran|first1=Sheila|title=Kekich Swaps Troubles For Peace, Happiness|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=iTAcAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ElgEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6937,4844728&dq=mike+kekich+fritz+peterson+marilyn&hl=en|accessdate=July 18, 2015|work=Pittsburgh Press|date=July 31, 1977|page=D-2}} Shortly after, Kekich was traded to the Cleveland Indians.

After his big league career ended, Kekich attempted a comeback in the Mexican League, but this proved unsuccessful.

He is remarried and currently resides near Albuquerque, New Mexico.{{cite news |last1=Praetorius |first1=Dean |title=Mike Kekich And Fritz Peterson: The Story Behind "The Trade" |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/mike-kekich-and-fritz-peterson-the-trade_n_828342 |work=Huffington Post |date=25 February 2011}}