Randy Lerch

Randy Louis Lerch (born October 9, 1954), is an American former professional baseball pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies, Milwaukee Brewers, Montreal Expos, and San Francisco Giants, from to .

Early life

Lerch was born in Sacramento, California and attended Cordova High School in Rancho Cordova, California.

Baseball career

Lerch was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in 1973 His first full season was 1977, and he was a mainstay in the Phillies' pitching rotation from 1977 until 1980, when he began pitching more in relief.

On September 30, 1978, Lerch hit two home runs in a 10–8 win that clinched the National League (NL) East Division championship for the Phillies.

Lerch was part of the Phillies' 1980 World Series-winning team, although he led the league in losses that season with 14 and never appeared in the World Series. As a result, Lerch was left off the Phillies' 1980 postseason roster. and that Lerch himself had received the pills.

Soon after testifying, Lerch was traded by the Phillies to the Milwaukee Brewers on March 1, 1981, for outfielder Dick Davis.

Memoir

In 2019, Lerch published his 256-page autobiography, "God in the Bullpen," written with retired professional engineer Harold "Hal" Lerch, who despite their shared surname is no relation. The book discusses Randy Lerch's battles with drug and alcohol addiction.

Personal life

Lerch lives in Shingle Springs, California. He was diagnosed with cirrhosis in 2016, which was caused by alcohol addiction.