Orlando Cepeda dies at 86 as MLB mourns loss of Hall of Famer days after Willie Mays passing

Baseball Hall of Famer Orlando Cepeda has passed away at the age of 86 , just 10 days after the death of his longtime teammate and fellow icon Willie Mays.

Cepeda was a celebrated figure in the sport, earning the title of 1967 National League Most Valuable Player after leading the St. Louis Cardinals to victory in the World Series against the Boston Red Sox.

Throughout his illustrious career, which saw him play for teams such as the San Francisco Giants, St. Louis Cardinals, Atlanta Braves, Oakland Athletics, Boston Red Sox, and Kansas City Royals, Cepeda achieved impressive stats. He scored 379 home runs, drove in 1,365 runs, and hit. 297 with an OPS of 849. In his rookie year of 1958, he was named Rookie of the Year in San Francisco.

READ MORE: How MacKenzie Gore and Nick Senzel responded to MLB dugout scrap

READ MORE: Los Angeles Dodgers ace Tyler Glasnow has moment of mortality against potent Yankees offense

Giants CEO Larry Baer expressed his sorrow over the loss, stating: "This is truly a sad day for the San Francisco Giants. For all of Orlando's extraordinary baseball accomplishments, it was his generosity, kindness, and joy that defined him. No one loved the game more."

Cepeda's wife, Nydia, released a statement saying: "Our beloved Orlando passed away peacefully at home this evening, listening to his favorite music and surrounded by his loved ones. We take comfort that he is at peace."

Willie Mays, who was a teammate of Cepeda at the Giants, passed away earlier this month. Reflecting on Cepeda's playing days, Mays described him as strong and formidable, a real challenge for pitchers.

"He is annoying every pitcher in the league. He is strong, he hits to all fields and he makes all the plays. He's the most relaxed first-year man I ever saw," Mays said of his teammate's rookie campaign.

Follow us on X for the best and latest in sports news

Cepeda, an 11-time All-Star and World Series champ, hung up his cleats in 1974 but later faced legal troubles, serving time for smuggling marijuana from Colombia to Puerto Rico.

A statement from his former club read: "The St. Louis Cardinals offer our condolences to the family and friends of Hall of Famer Orlando Cepeda who sadly passed away earlier this evening at the age 86.

"Orlando brought his love for life and the game of baseball to St. Louis in 1966, and enjoyed an MVP season the following year while helping the 'El Birdos' Cardinals to a World Series title in 1967."

The Cardinals also reminisced about Cepeda's lasting impact, writing: "'Cha-Cha', who remained a fan-favorite among Cardinals fans well beyond his three seasons playing for St. Louis, will long be remembered for his distinguished playing career, but more importantly for the cheerful joy he shared with others."