Ken Clay, Yankees Reliever, Passes Away

It's March 30th. I'm Cory with the story. This is MLB News Today, driven by AI and built for baseball fans.

Ken Clay, the reliever who helped the New York Yankees snag World Series titles in 1977 and 1978, has passed away at age.

71. He died Thursday at his home in Lynchburg, Virginia from heart and kidney problems according to doctors who informed the team.

Clay broke into the majors in June of 1977 and pitched in both World Series against the Dodgers.

His standout moment came in the 1978 American League Championship Series opener versus Kansas City where he locked down a save with three and two-thirds scoreless innings and the bases loaded.

Over five big league seasons, Clay made 111 appearances with a 10 in 24 record, three saves and a 4.68, ERA.

He bounced around after the Yankees traded him to Texas for Gaylord Perry, then to Seattle, before wrapping up in the minors.

Yankees owner George Steinbrinner once ripped him publicly as a morning glory for flashing promise, but fading fast.

Later in life, Clay faced legal heat with guilty pleas for thefts in Virginia and forgery charges in Florida, owing tens of thousands in repayments.

In the end, Clay's ring from those Yankee dynasties cements his spot in baseball history, even if the ride was rocky from there.