The lefty's No. 36 was retired by the Mets in 2021, and he helped the club win its first World Series alongside Tom Seaver.
Jerry Koosman, one of the greatest pitchers in Mets history, died Sunday, the team announced. He was 83.
Koosman was a key member of the 1969 "Miracle Mets" team that won the franchise's first World Series title, pitching alongside ace Tom Seaver. He was a two-time All-Star, earning the honor in both 1968 and 1969.
The lefty spent the bulk of his career with the Mets from 1967 to 1978 before finishing out his playing days with the Minnesota Twins, Chicago White Sox and Philadelphia Phillies. The Mets retired his No. 36 on Aug. 28, 2021, at Citi Field, a ceremony he called humbling.
"Humbly thankful that they thought that much of me to retire my number," Koosman said at the time. "I know I'm joining a great crew that's already had their numbers retired. I don't know that I deserve it, but I guess we're gonna get on with it."
Former Mets catcher and teammate Duffy Dyer said Koosman never got his full due because he pitched in Seaver's shadow, calling him underrated despite his contributions to the franchise's early success.