View source for 1987 Major League Baseball season

{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2024}}
{{MLBseason|year=1987}}
{{Infobox sports season
| title            = 1987 MLB season
| league           = [[Major League Baseball]]
| sport            = [[Baseball]]
| duration         = April 6 – October 25, 1987
| no_of_games      = 162
| no_of_teams      = 26
| TV               = [[Major League Baseball on ABC|ABC]], [[Major League Baseball on NBC|NBC]]
| draft            = Draft
| draft_link       = 1987 Major League Baseball draft
| top_pick         = [[Ken Griffey Jr.]]
| top_pick_link    = List of first overall MLB draft picks
| picked_by        = [[Seattle Mariners]]
| season           = Regular season
| season_champs    = 
| MVP              = [[National League (baseball)|NL]]: [[Andre Dawson]] ([[Chicago Cubs|CHC]])<br>[[American League|AL]]: [[George Bell (outfielder)|George Bell]] ([[Toronto Blue Jays|TOR]])
| MVP_link         = Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award
| playoffs         = Postseason
| playoffs_link    = 1987 Major League Baseball postseason
| conf1            = AL
| conf1_link       = 1987 American League Championship Series
| conf1_champ      = [[Minnesota Twins]]
| conf1_runner-up  = [[Detroit Tigers]]
| conf2            = NL
| conf2_link       = 1987 National League Championship Series
| conf2_champ      = [[St. Louis Cardinals]]
| conf2_runner-up  = [[San Francisco Giants]]
| finals           = World Series
| finals_link      = 1987 World Series
| finals_champ     = [[Minnesota Twins]]
| finals_runner-up = [[St. Louis Cardinals]]
| World_Series_MVP = [[Frank Viola]] ([[Minnesota Twins|MIN]])
| World_Series_MVP_link = World Series Most Valuable Player Award
| seasonslist      = List of Major League Baseball seasons
| seasonslistnames = MLB
| prevseason_link  = 1986 Major League Baseball season
| prevseason_year  = 1986
| nextseason_link  = 1988 Major League Baseball season
| nextseason_year  = 1988
}}
{{MLB Team Maps (1982–1988)}}
The '''1987 Major League Baseball season''' ended with the [[American League]] Champion  [[Minnesota Twins]] winning the [[1987 World Series|World Series]] over the [[National League (baseball)|National League]] Champion [[St. Louis Cardinals]], four games to three, as all seven games were won by the home team.

In June, future [[Baseball Hall of Fame|Hall of Fame]] outfielder [[Ken Griffey Jr.]] was selected with the number one overall pick in the [[Major League Baseball draft]], by the [[Seattle Mariners]].

==Awards and honors==
*'''[[Baseball Hall of Fame]]'''
**[[Ray Dandridge]]
**[[Catfish Hunter]]
**[[Billy Williams (left fielder)|Billy Williams]]
{{further|1987 Baseball Hall of Fame balloting}}
{| class="wikitable"
|+
! colspan="3" |[[Baseball Writers' Association of America]] Awards
|-
!BBWAA Award
!National League
!American League
|-
|[[Major League Baseball Rookie of the Year Award|Rookie of the Year]]
|[[Benito Santiago]] ([[San Diego Padres|SD]])
|[[Mark McGwire]] ([[Oakland Athletics|OAK]])
|-
|[[Cy Young Award]]
|[[Steve Bedrosian]] ([[Philadelphia Phillies|PHI]])
|[[Roger Clemens]] ([[Boston Red Sox|BOS]])
|-
|[[Major League Baseball Manager of the Year Award|Manager of the Year]]
|[[Buck Rodgers]] ([[Montreal Expos|MTL]])
|[[Sparky Anderson]] ([[Detroit Tigers|DET]])
|-
|[[Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award|Most Valuable Player]]
|[[Andre Dawson]] ([[Chicago Cubs|CHC]])
|[[George Bell (outfielder)|George Bell]] ([[Toronto Blue Jays|TOR]])
|-
! colspan="3" |[[Rawlings Gold Glove Award|Gold Glove Awards]]
|-
!Position
!National League
!American League
|-
|Pitcher
|[[Rick Reuschel]] ([[San Francisco Giants|SF]])/<small>([[Pittsburgh Pirates|PIT]])</small>
|[[Mark Langston]] ([[Seattle Mariners|SEA]])
|-
|Catcher
|[[Mike Lavalliere]] ([[Pittsburgh Pirates|PIT]])
|[[Bob Boone]] ([[California Angels|CAL]])
|-
|First Baseman
|[[Keith Hernandez]] ([[New York Mets|NYM]])
|[[Don Mattingly]] ([[New York Yankees|NYY]])
|-
|Second Baseman
|[[Ryne Sandberg]] ([[Chicago Cubs|CHC]])
|[[Frank White (baseball)|Frank White]] ([[Kansas City Royals|KC]])
|-
|Third Baseman
|[[Terry Pendleton]] ([[St. Louis Cardinals|STL]])
|[[Gary Gaetti]] ([[Minnesota Twins|MIN]])
|-
|Shortstop
|[[Ozzie Smith]] ([[St. Louis Cardinals|STL]])
|[[Tony Fernández]] ([[Toronto Blue Jays|TOR]])
|-
| rowspan="3" |Outfielders
|[[Eric Davis (baseball)|Eric Davis]] ([[Cincinnati Reds|CIN]])
|[[Jesse Barfield]] ([[Toronto Blue Jays|TOR]])
|-
|[[Andre Dawson]] ([[Chicago Cubs|CHC]])
|[[Kirby Puckett]] ([[Minnesota Twins|MIN]])
|-
|[[Tony Gwynn]] ([[San Diego Padres|SD]])
|[[Dave Winfield]]  ([[New York Yankees|NYY]])
|-
! colspan="3" |[[Silver Slugger Award]]s
|-
|Pitcher/Designated Hitter
|[[Bob Forsch]] ([[St. Louis Cardinals|STL]])
|[[Paul Molitor]] ([[Milwaukee Brewers|MIL]])
|-
|Catcher
|[[Benito Santiago]] ([[San Diego Padres|SD]])
|[[Matt Nokes]] ([[Detroit Tigers|DET]])
|-
|First Baseman
|[[Jack Clark (baseball)|Jack Clark]] ([[St. Louis Cardinals|STL]])
|[[Don Mattingly]] ([[New York Yankees|NYY]])
|-
|Second Baseman
|[[Juan Samuel]] ([[Philadelphia Phillies|PHI]])
|[[Lou Whitaker]] ([[Detroit Tigers|DET]])
|-
|Third Baseman
|[[Tim Wallach]] ([[Montreal Expos|MTL]])
|[[Wade Boggs]] ([[Boston Red Sox|BOS]])
|-
|Shortstop
|[[Ozzie Smith]] ([[St. Louis Cardinals|STL]])
|[[Alan Trammell]] ([[Detroit Tigers|DET]])
|-
| rowspan="3" |Outfielders
|[[Eric Davis (baseball)|Eric Davis]] ([[Cincinnati Reds|CIN]])
|[[George Bell (outfielder)|George Bell]] ([[Toronto Blue Jays|TOR]])
|-
||[[Andre Dawson]] ([[Chicago Cubs|CHC]])
|[[Dwight Evans (baseball)|Dwight Evans]] ([[Boston Red Sox|BOS]])
|-
|[[Tony Gwynn]] ([[San Diego Padres|SD]])
|[[Kirby Puckett]] ([[Minnesota Twins|MIN]])
|}

===Other awards===
*[[Edgar Martínez Award|Outstanding Designated Hitter Award]]: [[Harold Baines]] ([[Chicago White Sox|CWS]])
*[[Roberto Clemente Award]] (Humanitarian): [[Rick Sutcliffe]] ([[Chicago Cubs|CHC]]).
*[[Rolaids Relief Man Award]]: [[Dave Righetti]] ([[New York Yankees|NYY]], American); [[Steve Bedrosian]] ([[Philadelphia Phillies|PHI]], National).

===Player of the Month===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Month !! American League !! National League
|-
! April
| [[Brian Downing]] || [[Eric Davis (baseball)|Eric Davis]]
|-
! May
| [[Larry Parrish]] || [[Eric Davis (baseball)|Eric Davis]]
|-
! June
| [[Wade Boggs]] || [[Tony Gwynn]]
|-
! July
| [[Don Mattingly]] || [[Bo Díaz]]
|-
! August
| [[Dwight Evans (baseball)|Dwight Evans]] || [[Andre Dawson]]
|-
! September
| [[Alan Trammell]] || [[Darryl Strawberry]]
|}

===Pitcher of the Month===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Month !! American League !! National League
|-
! April
| [[Bret Saberhagen]] || [[Sid Fernandez]]
|-
! May
| [[Jim Clancy (baseball)|Jim Clancy]] || [[Steve Bedrosian]]
|-
! June
| [[Steve Ontiveros (pitcher)|Steve Ontiveros]] || [[Orel Hershiser]]
|-
! July
| [[Frank Viola]] || [[Floyd Youmans]]
|-
! August
| [[Mark Langston]] || [[Doug Drabek]]
|-
! September
| [[Doyle Alexander]] || [[Pascual Pérez (baseball)|Pascual Pérez]]
|}

==Statistical leaders==
{| class="wikitable"
|- 
! Statistic
! colspan=2 | [[American League]]
! colspan=2 | [[National League (baseball)|National League]]
|-
| [[Batting average (baseball)|AVG]] || [[Wade Boggs]], [[Boston Red Sox]]|| .363 || [[Tony Gwynn]], [[San Diego Padres]]|| .370
|-
| [[Home run|HR]] || [[Mark McGwire]], [[Oakland Athletics]]|| 49 || [[Andre Dawson]], [[Chicago Cubs]]|| 49
|-
| [[RBIs]] || [[George Bell (outfielder)|George Bell]], [[Toronto Blue Jays]]|| 134 || [[Andre Dawson]], [[Chicago Cubs]]|| 137
|-
|  [[Win (baseball)|Wins]] || [[Roger Clemens]], [[Boston Red Sox]]<br>[[Dave Stewart (baseball)|Dave Stewart]], [[Oakland Athletics]]|| 20 || [[Rick Sutcliffe]], [[Chicago Cubs]]|| 18
|-
| [[Earned run average|ERA]] || [[Jimmy Key]], [[Toronto Blue Jays]]|| 2.76 || [[Nolan Ryan]], [[Houston Astros]]|| 2.76
|-
| [[Strikeout|SO]] || [[Mark Langston]], [[Seattle Mariners]]|| 262 || [[Nolan Ryan]], [[Houston Astros]]|| 270
|-
| [[Save (baseball)|SV]] || [[Tom Henke]], [[Toronto Blue Jays]]|| 34 || [[Steve Bedrosian]], [[Philadelphia Phillies]]|| 40
|-
| [[Stolen base|SB]] || [[Harold Reynolds]], [[Seattle Mariners]]|| 60 || [[Vince Coleman (baseball)|Vince Coleman]], [[St. Louis Cardinals]]|| 109
|}

==Standings==
{{Flexbox wrap|start}}
===American League===
{{1987 AL East standings|highlight=Detroit Tigers}}{{1987 AL West standings|highlight=Minnesota Twins}}
{{Flexbox wrap|break}}
===National League===
{{1987 NL East standings|highlight=St. Louis Cardinals}}{{1987 NL West standings|highlight=San Francisco Giants}}
{{Flexbox wrap|end}}

==Postseason==
{{Main article|1987 Major League Baseball postseason}}

===Bracket===
<section begin=Bracket/>
{{4TeamBracket
| RD1=League Championship Series<br/>([[1987 American League Championship Series|ALCS]], [[1987 National League Championship Series|NLCS]])
| RD2=[[1987 World Series|World Series]]

| RD1-seed1  = East | RD1-team1=[[1987 Detroit Tigers season|Detroit]]
| RD1-seed2  = West | RD1-team2='''[[1987 Minnesota Twins season|Minnesota]]'''
| RD1-score1 = 1   | RD1-score2='''4'''
| RD1-seed3  = East | RD1-team3='''[[1987 St. Louis Cardinals season|St. Louis]]'''
| RD1-seed4  = West | RD1-team4=[[1987 San Francisco Giants season|San Francisco]]
| RD1-score3 = '''4'''   | RD1-score4=3
| RD2-seed1  = AL   | RD2-team1='''Minnesota'''
| RD2-seed2  = NL   | RD2-team2=St. Louis
| RD2-score1 = '''4'''   | RD2-score2=3
}}<section end=Bracket/>

==Managers==

===American League===
{| class="wikitable"
! Team || Manager || Notes
|-
| [[Baltimore Orioles]]
| [[Cal Ripken, Sr.]]
|
|-
| [[Boston Red Sox]]
| [[John McNamara (baseball)|John McNamara]]
|
|-
| [[California Angels]]
| [[Gene Mauch]]
|Mauch's final season as a Major League manager 
|-
| [[Chicago White Sox]]
| [[Jim Fregosi]]
|
|-
| [[Cleveland Indians]]
| [[Pat Corrales]], [[Doc Edwards]]
|
|-
| [[Detroit Tigers]]
| [[Sparky Anderson]]
| Won AL East
|-
| [[Kansas City Royals]]
| [[Billy Gardner]], [[John Wathan]]
|
|-
| [[Milwaukee Brewers]]
| [[Tom Trebelhorn]]
|
|-
| [[Minnesota Twins]]
| [[Tom Kelly (baseball)|Tom Kelly]]
| '''Won [[1987 World Series|World Series]]'''
|-
| [[New York Yankees]]
| [[Lou Piniella]]
|
|-
| [[Oakland Athletics]]
| [[Tony La Russa]]
|
|-
| [[Seattle Mariners]]
| [[Dick Williams]]
|
|-
| [[Texas Rangers (baseball)|Texas Rangers]]
| [[Bobby Valentine]]
|
|-
| [[Toronto Blue Jays]]
| [[Jimy Williams]]
|2nd season as Blue Jays manager 
|}

===National League===
{| class="wikitable"
! Team || Manager || Notes
|-
| [[Atlanta Braves]]
| [[Chuck Tanner]]
|
|-
| [[Chicago Cubs]]
| [[Gene Michael]], [[Frank Lucchesi]]
|Michael's final season as a Major League manager 
|-
| [[Cincinnati Reds]]
| [[Pete Rose]]
|
|-
| [[Houston Astros]]
| [[Hal Lanier]]
|
|-
| [[Los Angeles Dodgers]]
| [[Tommy Lasorda]]
|
|-
| [[Montreal Expos]]
| [[Buck Rodgers]]
|
|-
| [[New York Mets]]
| [[Davey Johnson]]
|
|-
| [[Philadelphia Phillies]]
| [[John Felske]], [[Lee Elia]]
|Felske's final season as a Major League manager 
|-
| [[Pittsburgh Pirates]]
| [[Jim Leyland]]
|
|-
| [[St. Louis Cardinals]]
| [[Whitey Herzog]]
| Won [[1987 National League Championship Series|National League Pennant]]
|-
| [[San Diego Padres]]
| [[Larry Bowa]]
|
|-
| [[San Francisco Giants]]
| [[Roger Craig (baseball)|Roger Craig]]
| Won NL West
|}

==Home field attendance and payroll==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|- style="text-align:center; font-size:larger;"
|-
!Team name
!Wins
!{{abbr|%±|Percent change}}
!Home attendance
!{{abbr|%±|Percent change}}
!{{abbr|Per game|Average home attendance per game}}
!Est. payroll
!{{abbr|%±|Percent change}}
|-
|[[St. Louis Cardinals]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/STL/attend.shtml|title=St. Louis Cardinals Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]}}</ref>
|95
|20.3%
|3,072,122
|24.3%
|37,927
|$11,758,000
|19.1%
|-
|[[New York Mets]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/NYM/attend.shtml|title=New York Mets Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]}}</ref>
|92
| −14.8%
|3,034,129
|9.6%
|37,458
|$13,846,714
| −10.0%
|-
|[[Los Angeles Dodgers]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/LAD/attend.shtml|title=Los Angeles Dodgers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]}}</ref>
|73
|0.0%
|2,797,409
| −7.5%
|34,536
|$14,474,737
| −4.9%
|-
|[[Toronto Blue Jays]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/TOR/attend.shtml|title=Toronto Blue Jays Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]}}</ref>
|96
|11.6%
|2,778,429
|13.2%
|34,302
|$10,765,401
| −15.9%
|-
|[[Los Angeles Angels|California Angels]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/ANA/attend.shtml|title=Los Angeles Angels Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]}}</ref>
|75
| −18.5%
|2,696,299
|1.5%
|33,288
|$13,855,999
| −4.0%
|-
|[[New York Yankees]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/NYY/attend.shtml|title=New York Yankees Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]}}</ref>
|89
| −1.1%
|2,427,672
|7.0%
|29,971
|$19,457,714
|5.2%
|-
|[[Kansas City Royals]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/KCR/attend.shtml|title=Kansas City Royals Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]}}</ref>
|83
|9.2%
|2,392,471
|3.1%
|29,537
|$12,513,056
| −4.1%
|-
|[[Boston Red Sox]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/BOS/attend.shtml|title=Boston Red Sox Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]}}</ref>
|78
| −17.9%
|2,231,551
|3.9%
|27,894
|$13,770,171
| −4.4%
|-
|[[Cincinnati Reds]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CIN/attend.shtml|title=Cincinnati Reds Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]}}</ref>
|84
| −2.3%
|2,185,205
|29.1%
|26,978
|$9,281,500
| −22.0%
|-
|[[Philadelphia Phillies]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/PHI/attend.shtml|title=Philadelphia Phillies Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]}}</ref>
|80
| −7.0%
|2,100,110
|8.6%
|25,927
|$12,482,997
|7.7%
|-
|[[Minnesota Twins]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/MIN/attend.shtml|title=Minnesota Twins Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]}}</ref>
|85
|19.7%
|2,081,976
|65.8%
|25,703
|$10,585,000
|11.4%
|-
|[[Detroit Tigers]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/DET/attend.shtml|title=Detroit Tigers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]}}</ref>
|98
|12.6%
|2,061,830
|8.5%
|25,455
|$12,122,881
| −1.7%
|-
|[[Chicago Cubs]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CHC/attend.shtml|title=Chicago Cubs Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]}}</ref>
|76
|8.6%
|2,035,130
|9.5%
|25,439
|$15,473,026
| −10.1%
|-
|[[San Francisco Giants]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/SFG/attend.shtml|title=San Francisco Giants Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]}}</ref>
|90
|8.4%
|1,917,168
|25.4%
|23,669
|$8,532,500
| −4.6%
|-
|[[Houston Astros]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/HOU/attend.shtml|title=Houston Astros Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]}}</ref>
|76
| −20.8%
|1,909,902
|10.1%
|23,579
|$12,758,371
|29.2%
|-
|[[Milwaukee Brewers]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/MIL/attend.shtml|title=Milwaukee Brewers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]}}</ref>
|91
|18.2%
|1,909,244
|50.9%
|23,571
|$7,293,224
| −26.7%
|-
|[[Montreal Expos]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/WSN/attend.shtml|title=Washington Nationals Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]}}</ref>
|91
|16.7%
|1,850,324
|63.9%
|22,844
|$8,762,052
| −21.1%
|-
|[[Baltimore Orioles]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/BAL/attend.shtml|title=Baltimore Orioles Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]}}</ref>
|67
| −8.2%
|1,835,692
| −7.0%
|22,386
|$14,250,273
|9.6%
|-
|[[Texas Rangers (baseball)|Texas Rangers]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/TEX/attend.shtml|title=Texas Rangers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]}}</ref>
|75
| −13.8%
|1,763,053
|4.2%
|21,766
|$5,992,718
| −11.1%
|-
|[[Oakland Athletics]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/OAK/attend.shtml|title=Oakland Athletics Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]}}</ref>
|81
|6.6%
|1,678,921
|27.7%
|20,727
|$12,730,839
|30.2%
|-
|[[San Diego Padres]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/SDP/attend.shtml|title=San Diego Padres Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]}}</ref>
|65
| −12.2%
|1,454,061
| −19.5%
|17,951
|$12,065,796
|6.0%
|-
|[[Atlanta Braves]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/ATL/attend.shtml|title=Atlanta Braves Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]}}</ref>
|69
| −4.2%
|1,217,402
| −12.2%
|15,030
|$17,444,560
|2.0%
|-
|[[Chicago White Sox]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CHW/attend.shtml|title=Chicago White Sox Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]}}</ref>
|77
|6.9%
|1,208,060
| −15.2%
|14,914
|$12,135,343
|16.5%
|-
|[[Pittsburgh Pirates]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/PIT/attend.shtml|title=Pittsburgh Pirates Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]}}</ref>
|80
|25.0%
|1,161,193
|16.0%
|14,336
|$8,789,500
| −19.6%
|-
|[[Seattle Mariners]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/SEA/attend.shtml|title=Seattle Mariners Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]}}</ref>
|78
|16.4%
|1,134,255
|10.2%
|14,003
|$4,623,000
| −22.4%
|-
|[[Cleveland Guardians|Cleveland Indians]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CLE/attend.shtml|title=Cleveland Indians Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]}}</ref>
|61
| −27.4%
|1,077,898
| −26.8%
|13,307
|$9,033,750
|15.7%
|}

==Television coverage==
{| class="wikitable"
! Network || Day of week || Announcers 
|-
| [[Major League Baseball on ABC|ABC]]
| [[Monday Night Baseball|Monday nights]]<br>Sunday afternoons
| [[Al Michaels]], [[Jim Palmer]], [[Tim McCarver]], [[Gary Bender]]
|-
| [[Major League Baseball|NBC]]
| [[Major League Baseball Game of the Week|Saturday afternoons]]
| [[Vin Scully]], [[Joe Garagiola Sr.|Joe Garagiola]], [[Bob Costas]], [[Tony Kubek]]
|}

==Events==

*January 14 – [[Catfish Hunter]] and [[Billy Williams (left fielder)|Billy Williams]] are elected to the [[Baseball Hall of Fame|Hall of Fame]] by the [[Baseball Writers' Association of America]].
*March 3 – [[Ray Dandridge]], a third baseman from the [[Negro league baseball|Negro leagues]], is the only player elected to the Hall of Fame by the Special Veterans Committee.
*April 13 – At [[Jack Murphy Stadium]], the [[San Diego Padres]] set a major league record when the first three batters in the bottom of the first inning hit [[home run]]s off [[San Francisco Giants]] [[starting pitcher|starter]] [[Roger Mason (baseball)|Roger Mason]] in their home opener. The Padres, trailing 3–0, got homers from [[Marvell Wynne (baseball)|Marvell Wynne]], [[Tony Gwynn]] and [[John Kruk]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Mackin|first=Bob|title=The Unofficial Guide to Baseball's Most Unusual Records|year=2004|publisher=Greystone Books|location=Canada|isbn=9781553650386|pages=240}}</ref> Despite this, the Padres lost 13-6. This record would be matched in 2003.
*April 15 – [[Juan Nieves]] of the [[Milwaukee Brewers]] pitches a [[no-hitter]] against the [[Baltimore Orioles]]. He becomes the second-youngest pitcher in major league history to accomplish the feat, and the first Brewer to do so.
*April 17 – [[Mike Schmidt]] of the [[Philadelphia Phillies]] hits the 500th home run of his career. It came in the ninth inning against the [[Pittsburgh Pirates]]' [[Don Robinson (baseball)|Don Robinson]], giving the Phillies an 8–6 win.
*June 2 – The [[Seattle Mariners]] use the number-one overall pick of the draft to select [[Ken Griffey Jr.]], signaling a turnaround in their fortunes as an organization.
*June 28 – [[Don Baylor]] of the visiting [[Boston Red Sox]] is [[hit by pitch|hit by a pitch]] from [[Rick Rhoden]] in the sixth inning of a 6–2 win over the [[New York Yankees]]. The HBP gives Baylor 244 for his career, breaking [[Ron Hunt]]'s modern-day record.
*July 14 – [[Tim Raines]] caps a 3-for-3 performance in the [[1987 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star Game]] with a two-run triple in the top of the 13th inning, giving the [[National League (baseball)|National League]] a 2–0 victory over the [[American League]]. Raines is selected the MVP.
*July 18 – New York Yankees first baseman [[Don Mattingly]] homers in his record-tying eighth straight game, in a 7–2 loss to the Texas Rangers.  He ties the record set by [[Dale Long]] in 1956.
*August 11 – [[Mark McGwire]] of the [[Oakland Athletics]] breaks [[Al Rosen]]'s American League rookie record by hitting his 38th home run in an 8–2 loss to the Mariners.
*August 26 – [[Paul Molitor]] of the [[Milwaukee Brewers]] goes hitless, and ends his 39-game hitting streak; it is the longest [[American League]] hitting streak since [[Joe DiMaggio]]'s [[Joe DiMaggio's 56-game hitting streak|56-game streak]] in 1941.
*August 30 – With knuckleball pitcher [[Charlie Hough]] on the mound, [[Texas Rangers (baseball)|Texas Rangers]] catcher [[Geno Petralli]] ties a Major League record by committing six [[passed ball]]s in a 7–0 loss to the [[Detroit Tigers]] at [[Tiger Stadium (Detroit)|Tiger Stadium]]. All seven runs are unearned and come as a result of the passed balls. Petralli will go on to commit 35 passed balls on the season, breaking [[J. C. Martin (baseball)|J. C. Martin]]'s single-season record of 33 in 1965.
*September 9 – [[Nolan Ryan]] strikes out 16 to pass 4,500 for his career as the [[Houston Astros]] beat the [[San Francisco Giants]] 4–2. Ryan strikes out 12 of the final 13 batters and fans [[Mike Aldrete]] to complete the seventh inning for his 4,500th strikeout.
*September 14 – In the midst of the [[Toronto Blue Jays]]' 18–3 drubbing of the [[Baltimore Orioles]], [[Cal Ripken Jr.]] is lifted from the lineup and replaced by [[Ron Washington]], stopping Ripken's consecutive innings played streak at 8,243.
*September 18 – [[Darrell Evans]] hits his 30th [[home run]] of the season, and becomes the first player to do so after the age of 40.
*September 21 – [[Darryl Strawberry]] swipes his 30th base of the season to join the [[30–30 club]].  With teammate [[Howard Johnson (baseball)|Howard Johnson]] already having joined, it marks the first time that two teammates achieve 30–30 seasons in the same year.
*September 22 – [[Wade Boggs]] of the [[Boston Red Sox]] reaches the 200-hit mark for the fifth straight season in an 8–5 loss to the [[Detroit Tigers]].
*October 4 – The [[Detroit Tigers]] defeat the [[Toronto Blue Jays]] 1–0 to clinch the [[American League East]] division title. The victory caps off a thrilling pennant race in which the Tigers overcame a 3.5 game deficit to the Blue Jays in the last two weeks of the season, including sweeping the Blue Jays at [[Tiger Stadium (Detroit)|Tiger Stadium]] in the final weekend, and finishing two games ahead of Toronto in the standings.
*October 25 – In Game Seven of the [[1987 World Series|World Series]], starter [[Frank Viola]] and reliever [[Jeff Reardon]] hold the [[St. Louis Cardinals]] to six hits, as the [[Minnesota Twins]] win 4–2 for their second World Championship, and their first since moving to Minnesota and changing their name to the Twins. The franchise's first title came in [[1924 World Series|1924]] as the Washington Senators. Viola is named the Series MVP.
*November 18 – [[Andre Dawson]] of the [[Chicago Cubs]] is announced as the winner of the [[National League (baseball)|National League]] [[Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award|MVP Award]], becoming the first recipient of the award to play for a last place team.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/MLB/1987-schedule.shtml 1987 Major League Baseball season schedule at Baseball Reference]

{{1987 MLB season by team}}
{{MLB seasons}}
{{1987 MLB Playoffs navbox}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:1987 Major League Baseball Season}}
[[Category:1987 Major League Baseball season| ]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball seasons]]