1987 Major League Baseball season

{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2024}}

{{MLBseason|year=1987}}

{{Infobox sports season

| title = 1987 MLB season

| league = Major League Baseball

| sport = Baseball

| duration = April 6 – October 25, 1987

| no_of_games = 162

| no_of_teams = 26

| TV = ABC, NBC

| draft = Draft

| draft_link = 1987 Major League Baseball draft

| top_pick = Ken Griffey Jr.

| top_pick_link = List of first overall MLB draft picks

| picked_by = Seattle Mariners

| season = Regular season

| season_champs =

| MVP = NL: Andre Dawson (CHC)
AL: George Bell (TOR)

| MVP_link = Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award

| playoffs = Postseason

| playoffs_link = 1987 Major League Baseball postseason

| conf1 = AL

| conf1_link = 1987 American League Championship Series

| conf1_champ = Minnesota Twins

| conf1_runner-up = Detroit Tigers

| conf2 = NL

| conf2_link = 1987 National League Championship Series

| conf2_champ = St. Louis Cardinals

| conf2_runner-up = San Francisco Giants

| finals = World Series

| finals_link = 1987 World Series

| finals_champ = Minnesota Twins

| finals_runner-up = St. Louis Cardinals

| World_Series_MVP = Frank Viola (MIN)

| World_Series_MVP_link = World Series Most Valuable Player Award

| seasonslist = List of Major League Baseball seasons

| seasonslistnames = MLB

| prevseason_link = 1986 Major League Baseball season

| prevseason_year = 1986

| nextseason_link = 1988 Major League Baseball season

| nextseason_year = 1988

}}

{{MLB Team Maps (1982–1988)}}

The 1987 Major League Baseball season ended with the American League Champion Minnesota Twins winning the World Series over the National League Champion St. Louis Cardinals, four games to three, as all seven games were won by the home team.

In June, future Hall of Fame outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. was selected with the number one overall pick in the Major League Baseball draft, by the Seattle Mariners.

Awards and honors

{{further|1987 Baseball Hall of Fame balloting}}

class="wikitable"

|+

! colspan="3" |Baseball Writers' Association of America Awards

BBWAA Award

!National League

!American League

Rookie of the Year

|Benito Santiago (SD)

|Mark McGwire (OAK)

Cy Young Award

|Steve Bedrosian (PHI)

|Roger Clemens (BOS)

Manager of the Year

|Buck Rodgers (MTL)

|Sparky Anderson (DET)

Most Valuable Player

|Andre Dawson (CHC)

|George Bell (TOR)

colspan="3" |Gold Glove Awards
Position

!National League

!American League

Pitcher

|Rick Reuschel (SF)/(PIT)

|Mark Langston (SEA)

Catcher

|Mike Lavalliere (PIT)

|Bob Boone (CAL)

First Baseman

|Keith Hernandez (NYM)

|Don Mattingly (NYY)

Second Baseman

|Ryne Sandberg (CHC)

|Frank White (KC)

Third Baseman

|Terry Pendleton (STL)

|Gary Gaetti (MIN)

Shortstop

|Ozzie Smith (STL)

|Tony Fernández (TOR)

rowspan="3" |Outfielders

|Eric Davis (CIN)

|Jesse Barfield (TOR)

Andre Dawson (CHC)

|Kirby Puckett (MIN)

Tony Gwynn (SD)

|Dave Winfield (NYY)

colspan="3" |Silver Slugger Awards
Pitcher/Designated Hitter

|Bob Forsch (STL)

|Paul Molitor (MIL)

Catcher

|Benito Santiago (SD)

|Matt Nokes (DET)

First Baseman

|Jack Clark (STL)

|Don Mattingly (NYY)

Second Baseman

|Juan Samuel (PHI)

|Lou Whitaker (DET)

Third Baseman

|Tim Wallach (MTL)

|Wade Boggs (BOS)

Shortstop

|Ozzie Smith (STL)

|Alan Trammell (DET)

rowspan="3" |Outfielders

|Eric Davis (CIN)

|George Bell (TOR)

|Andre Dawson (CHC)

|Dwight Evans (BOS)

Tony Gwynn (SD)

|Kirby Puckett (MIN)

=Other awards=

=Player of the Month=

class="wikitable"
MonthAmerican LeagueNational League
April

| Brian Downing || Eric Davis

May

| Larry Parrish || Eric Davis

June

| Wade Boggs || Tony Gwynn

July

| Don Mattingly || Bo Díaz

August

| Dwight Evans || Andre Dawson

September

| Alan Trammell || Darryl Strawberry

=Pitcher of the Month=

class="wikitable"
MonthAmerican LeagueNational League
April

| Bret Saberhagen || Sid Fernandez

May

| Jim Clancy || Steve Bedrosian

June

| Steve Ontiveros || Orel Hershiser

July

| Frank Viola || Floyd Youmans

August

| Mark Langston || Doug Drabek

September

| Doyle Alexander || Pascual Pérez

Statistical leaders

Standings

{{Flexbox wrap|start}}

=American League=

{{1987 AL East standings|highlight=Detroit Tigers}}{{1987 AL West standings|highlight=Minnesota Twins}}

{{Flexbox wrap|break}}

=National League=

{{1987 NL East standings|highlight=St. Louis Cardinals}}{{1987 NL West standings|highlight=San Francisco Giants}}

{{Flexbox wrap|end}}

Postseason

{{Main article|1987 MLB Postseason}}

=Bracket=

{{4TeamBracket

| RD1=League Championship Series
(ALCS, NLCS)

| RD2=World Series

| RD1-seed1 = East | RD1-team1=Detroit

| RD1-seed2 = West | RD1-team2=Minnesota

| RD1-score1 = 1 | RD1-score2=4

| RD1-seed3 = East | RD1-team3=St. Louis

| RD1-seed4 = West | RD1-team4=San Francisco

| RD1-score3 = 4 | RD1-score4=3

| RD2-seed1 = AL | RD2-team1=Minnesota

| RD2-seed2 = NL | RD2-team2=St. Louis

| RD2-score1 = 4 | RD2-score2=3

}}

Managers

=American League=

=National League=

Home field attendance and payroll

class="wikitable sortable"
style="text-align:center; font-size:larger;"
Team name

!Wins

!{{abbr|%±|Percent change}}

!Home attendance

!{{abbr|%±|Percent change}}

!{{abbr|Per game|Average home attendance per game}}

!Est. payroll

!{{abbr|%±|Percent change}}

St. Louis Cardinals{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/STL/attend.shtml|title=St. Louis Cardinals Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|95

|20.3%

|3,072,122

|24.3%

|37,927

|$11,758,000

|19.1%

New York Mets{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/NYM/attend.shtml|title=New York Mets Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|92

| −14.8%

|3,034,129

|9.6%

|37,458

|$13,846,714

| −10.0%

Los Angeles Dodgers{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/LAD/attend.shtml|title=Los Angeles Dodgers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|73

|0.0%

|2,797,409

| −7.5%

|34,536

|$14,474,737

| −4.9%

Toronto Blue Jays{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/TOR/attend.shtml|title=Toronto Blue Jays Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|96

|11.6%

|2,778,429

|13.2%

|34,302

|$10,765,401

| −15.9%

California Angels{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/ANA/attend.shtml|title=Los Angeles Angels Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|75

| −18.5%

|2,696,299

|1.5%

|33,288

|$13,855,999

| −4.0%

New York Yankees{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/NYY/attend.shtml|title=New York Yankees Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|89

| −1.1%

|2,427,672

|7.0%

|29,971

|$19,457,714

|5.2%

Kansas City Royals{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/KCR/attend.shtml|title=Kansas City Royals Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|83

|9.2%

|2,392,471

|3.1%

|29,537

|$12,513,056

| −4.1%

Boston Red Sox{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/BOS/attend.shtml|title=Boston Red Sox Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|78

| −17.9%

|2,231,551

|3.9%

|27,894

|$13,770,171

| −4.4%

Cincinnati Reds{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CIN/attend.shtml|title=Cincinnati Reds Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|84

| −2.3%

|2,185,205

|29.1%

|26,978

|$9,281,500

| −22.0%

Philadelphia Phillies{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/PHI/attend.shtml|title=Philadelphia Phillies Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|80

| −7.0%

|2,100,110

|8.6%

|25,927

|$12,482,997

|7.7%

Minnesota Twins{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/MIN/attend.shtml|title=Minnesota Twins Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|85

|19.7%

|2,081,976

|65.8%

|25,703

|$10,585,000

|11.4%

Detroit Tigers{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/DET/attend.shtml|title=Detroit Tigers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|98

|12.6%

|2,061,830

|8.5%

|25,455

|$12,122,881

| −1.7%

Chicago Cubs{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CHC/attend.shtml|title=Chicago Cubs Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|76

|8.6%

|2,035,130

|9.5%

|25,439

|$15,473,026

| −10.1%

San Francisco Giants{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/SFG/attend.shtml|title=San Francisco Giants Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|90

|8.4%

|1,917,168

|25.4%

|23,669

|$8,532,500

| −4.6%

Houston Astros{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/HOU/attend.shtml|title=Houston Astros Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|76

| −20.8%

|1,909,902

|10.1%

|23,579

|$12,758,371

|29.2%

Milwaukee Brewers{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/MIL/attend.shtml|title=Milwaukee Brewers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|91

|18.2%

|1,909,244

|50.9%

|23,571

|$7,293,224

| −26.7%

Montreal Expos{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/WSN/attend.shtml|title=Washington Nationals Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|91

|16.7%

|1,850,324

|63.9%

|22,844

|$8,762,052

| −21.1%

Baltimore Orioles{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/BAL/attend.shtml|title=Baltimore Orioles Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|67

| −8.2%

|1,835,692

| −7.0%

|22,386

|$14,250,273

|9.6%

Texas Rangers{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/TEX/attend.shtml|title=Texas Rangers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|75

| −13.8%

|1,763,053

|4.2%

|21,766

|$5,992,718

| −11.1%

Oakland Athletics{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/OAK/attend.shtml|title=Oakland Athletics Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|81

|6.6%

|1,678,921

|27.7%

|20,727

|$12,730,839

|30.2%

San Diego Padres{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/SDP/attend.shtml|title=San Diego Padres Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|65

| −12.2%

|1,454,061

| −19.5%

|17,951

|$12,065,796

|6.0%

Atlanta Braves{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/ATL/attend.shtml|title=Atlanta Braves Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|69

| −4.2%

|1,217,402

| −12.2%

|15,030

|$17,444,560

|2.0%

Chicago White Sox{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CHW/attend.shtml|title=Chicago White Sox Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|77

|6.9%

|1,208,060

| −15.2%

|14,914

|$12,135,343

|16.5%

Pittsburgh Pirates{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/PIT/attend.shtml|title=Pittsburgh Pirates Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|80

|25.0%

|1,161,193

|16.0%

|14,336

|$8,789,500

| −19.6%

Seattle Mariners{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/SEA/attend.shtml|title=Seattle Mariners Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|78

|16.4%

|1,134,255

|10.2%

|14,003

|$4,623,000

| −22.4%

Cleveland Indians{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CLE/attend.shtml|title=Cleveland Indians Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|61

| −27.4%

|1,077,898

| −26.8%

|13,307

|$9,033,750

|15.7%

Television coverage

class="wikitable"

! Network

Day of weekAnnouncers
ABC

| Monday nights
Sunday afternoons

| Al Michaels, Jim Palmer, Tim McCarver, Gary Bender

NBC

| Saturday afternoons

| Vin Scully, Joe Garagiola, Bob Costas, Tony Kubek

Events

References

{{Reflist}}