Jeff Torborg, who caught three no-hitters during his playing career and was named the American League Manager of the Year in 1990 with the White Sox, passed away on Sunday at the age of 83.
Torborg played 10 seasons as a Major League catcher, spending the first seven with the Dodgers from 1964 to 1970. He is one of just 18 players to have started behind the plate for at least three no-hitters. His first came in one of the most memorable pitching feats in MLB history—the perfect game thrown by Sandy Koufax against the Cubs on September 9, 1965.
Torborg also caught a no-hitter for Dodgers pitcher Bill Singer against the Phillies in 1970, his final season with Los Angeles. He finished his MLB career with the Angels, and in 1973, he was behind the plate for Nolan Ryan’s first no-hitter of a record seven.
Torborg, a career .214 hitter, quickly transitioned into coaching and took on his first managerial role in 1977, eventually managing five teams. He led Cleveland from 1977 to 1979 before spending a decade as a coach for the Yankees.
His most notable managerial success came with the White Sox. After his second season with the team, he was honored as the 1990 AL Manager of the Year, having guided the club to 94 wins—25 more than the previous year.
Former MLB catcher and Chicago White Sox manager Jeff Torborg passed away this morning in Westfield, N.J. He was 83 years old.
Torborg was named the 1990 A.L. Manager of the Year after guiding the Sox to a 94-68 record that season, a 25-game improvement from the previous year. pic.twitter.com/cKpNNdLod7
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) January 20, 2025
Torborg spent one more season with the White Sox before signing a four-year contract to become the Mets’ manager for the 1992 season. However, he posted an 85-115 record before being let go during the 1993 season.
He also had brief managerial stints with the Expos in 2001 and the Marlins from 2002 to 2003. His coaching career ended in May 2003 when he was fired by the Marlins, who were 16-22 at the time. The team went on to win the World Series later that year under Jack McKeon. Torborg finished his managerial career with a record of 634-718, a .469 winning percentage.
In addition to his coaching career, Torborg had an extensive run as a baseball broadcaster. He called three World Series (1995-97) with play-by-play legend Vin Scully for CBS radio, and also contributed to FOX baseball broadcasts from 1996-2000 and again in 2004-05. His final year in baseball was 2006, when he served as a color commentator for televised Braves games.
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