In Memoriam 2025

[BoomGaspar]

Assuming no one else expires in the next 11 hours, here are the Tigers players who died in 2025.

Rick Peters played for the Tigers from 1979-1981, batting .280 with 2 home runs and 59 RBI in 208 games, mainly as an outfielder.  The team's starting center fielder in 1980 after debuting as a September call-up in 1979, he was moved to a utility and backup role in 1981 with the acquisition of Al Cowens and the emergence of Kirk Gibson.  He was released after spending the entire 1982 season injured, ending his Tigers tenure.  Peters also appeared in the majors with the Athletics.  He died March 9 at the age of 69.

Octavio Dotel pitched for the Tigers from 2012-2013, going 5-3 with a 4.31 ERA and 1 save in 63 games, all in relief.  Signed as a free agent after the 2011 season, he set a record with his first pitch by making the Tigers the 13th major league team for whom he played (a record that has since been broken by former Tiger Edwin Jackson).  After being a solid bullpen arm in 2012, he struggled in five 2013 appearances before being placed on the disabled list with elbow inflammation, an injury that would eventually end his career.  Dotel also appeared in the majors with the Mets, Astros, Athletics, Yankees, Royals, Braves, White Sox, Pirates, Dodgers, Rockies, Blue Jays, and Cardinals.  He died April 8 at the age of 51.

Chet Lemon played for the Tigers from 1982-1990, batting .263 with 142 home runs and 536 RBI in 1203 games as an outfielder, playing center field almost exclusively until shifting to right field in the 1988 season. The AL’s starting center fielder in the 1984 All-Star game, he was a specialist at reaching base via the hit by pitch, twice leading the AL in that category with the Tigers.  Nicknamed “The Jet”, he was known for his diving catches in Tiger Stadium's vast center field.  Retiring following the 1990 season, Lemon also appeared in the majors with the Chicago White Sox.  He died following an extended illness May 8 at the age of 70.

Bill Denehy pitched for the Tigers in 1971, going 0-3 with a 4.22 ERA and 1 save in 31 games, all but one of them in relief.  Acquired in a trade at the end of spring training in 1971, he had the distinction of being traded for a manager earlier in his career.  Following the 1967 season, the Mets sent Denehy to the Washington Senators in exchange for Gil Hodges (who had originally been traded to the Senators in 1962 to become their manager), at the time the manager of the Senators.  Denehy also appeared in the majors with the Mets and Senators.  He died June 27 at the age of 79.

Joe Coleman pitched for the Tigers from 1971-1976, going 88-73 with a 3.82 ERA in 203 games, all but 2 of them starts.  Acquired from the Washington Senators as part of a package that sent troubled pitcher Denny McLain to DC, Coleman was a two-time 20 game winner with the Tigers and appeared in the 1972 All-Star game.  He threw 11 complete game shutouts with the Tigers in the regular season, adding another in the 1972 ALCS against the Oakland Athletics.  He was sold to the Chicago Cubs after a slow start to the 1976 season, ending his Tigers tenure.  His father, also named Joe Coleman, pitched for the Tigers in 1955.  Coleman also appeared in the majors with the Senators, Cubs, Athletics, Blue Jays, Giants, and Pirates.  He died July 9 at the age of 78.

Phil Meeler pitched in 7 games for the 1972 Tigers, going 0-1 with a 4.32 ERA in 8 1/3 innings of relief.  Pitching 8 seasons in the Tigers’ minor league system, 1972 was his only MLB action.  Meeler did not appear in the majors with any other team.  He died August 19 at the age of 77.

Daryl Patterson pitched for the Tigers from 1968-1971, going 9-7 with a 3.55 ERA and 9 saves in 111 games, all but 1 in relief.  Used both in short stints and as a long reliever, he earned a World Series ring in 1968 with 3 scoreless innings pitched in the post-season.  Originally drafted by the Tigers in 1964, he was traded to Oakland in exchange for infielder John Donaldson (who never appeared in the majors with the Tigers) in 1971, ending his Tigers tenure.  Later in his career, while pitching for Pittsburgh, he received a tetanus shot after a game in which the Pirates brawled with the Reds and Patterson was bitten on the arm by Reds pitcher Pedro Borbon.  Patterson also appeared in the majors with the Athletics, Cardinals, and Pirates.  He died August 28 at the age of 81.

Tom Timmermann pitched for the Tigers from 1969-1973, going 26-27 with a 3.39 ERA and 33 saves in 195 games, 29 of them starts.  After being used by manager Mayo Smith as a mainstay of Tigers bullpens, he was converted to a starter by new manager Billy Martin in 1972 and went 8-10 with 2 complete game shutouts for the AL East champion Tigers.  He was traded to Cleveland in 1973 in exchange for pitcher Ed Farmer, ending his Tigers tenure.  Timmermann also appeared in the majors with the Indians.  He died November 14 at the age of 85.

[Motor City Sonics]

Chet Lemon hurts the most for me, probably for most of us.   He brought a level of joy to the game and was fun to watch in CF.   And CF at Tiger Stadium was a canyon.