It took Wood a while to really establish himself in the major leagues, as after his MLB debut with Boston in 1961, Wood threw just 159 2/3 innings over 73 appearances from 1961-65. A trade from the Red Sox to the Pirates in 1964 at least gave Wood regular bullpen duty during the 1965 season, but after spending the entire 1966 campaign with Pittsburgh’s Triple-A team, he was traded to the White Sox in the move that truly unlocked Wood’s career.
Future Hall of Famer Hoet Wilhelm was a member of that Chicago team, and the veteran took Wood under his wing by teaching him some of Wilhelm’s knuckleball tricks. Wood had thrown the pitch occasionally in the past, but under Wilhelm’s tutelage and encouragement, Wood took over the pitch regularly and the rest was history. Over 292 games and 495 2/3 innings from 1967-70, Wood posted a 2.49 ERA as a fireman out of the White Sox bullpen, often pitching multiple innings in a variety of situations as a closer, leverage set-up man, or simply innings-eater.
The White Sox brought Wood back into the rotation prior to the 1971 season, setting the table for a five-year run that seems impossible by today’s modern pitching standards. Wood posted a 3.08 ERA over 227 appearances (224 of which were starts) and a whopping 1,681 2/3 innings pitched from 1971-75, leading the majors in starts four times and leading the MLB in innings pitched twice during that span. Wood’s success was recognized with a second-place finish in the AL Cy Young Award voting in 1972, and he also finished third in the Cy race in 1971 and fifth in 1973. Wood was named to the AL All-Star team in 1971, 1972 and 1974.
Even in an era when starters were expected to carry a heavier workload and four-man rotations were not uncommon, Wood’s knuckler-driven durability stood out. Wood’s 376 2/3 IP in 1972 is the highest single-season mark of any pitcher from 1918 to the present. To put Wood’s 1972 season in perspective, the top two leaders in MLB in innings pitched in 2025 (Logan Webb And Garrett hook) combined for 412 1/3 innings last year.
Unfortunately for Wood, the White Sox weren’t particularly competitive during his five-year dream run. He became one of the few pitchers in modern baseball history to both win and lose twenty games in a season when Wood went 24-20 in 1973. Wood won at least 20 games every year from 1971-74, and he also lost 20 games in 1975.
Wood’s astonishing durability ended when his kneecap was broken by a Tigers line drive. Ron LeFlore in May 1976, ending his season. Wood was never the same after the injury, as the left-hander posted a 5.11 ERA over 290 2/3 innings for Chicago in 1977-78. He decided to retire and finished his career with a 164-156 record, a 3.24 ERA, a 6.5% walk rate, and a 12.7% strikeout rate over 651 games and 2,684 innings.
We at MLB Trade Rumors extend our condolences to Wood’s family, loved ones and many fans.
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