Francisco Barrios

Who was Francisco Barrios?

Francisco Javier Barrios was a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Chicago White Sox. Barrios batted and threw right-handed.

Barrios was acquired from the Jalisco Charros of the Mexican League for shortstop Rudy Hernández, and played his entire major league career with the Chicago White Sox. He joined the pitching rotation in 1976, then, on July 28, he combined with Blue Moon Odom to no-hit the Oakland Athletics, 2–1, at the Coliseum. His most productive season came in 1977, when he recorded career-numbers with 14 wins, 119 strikeouts, nine complete games, and 231 innings pitched. Despite his 9-15 mark in 1978, he threw two shutouts with a 3.82 ERA in a career-high 33 starts. He declined after that and was released at the end of the 1981 season.

Barrios enjoyed a good winter season in the Mexican Pacific League and was ready to sign a contract with the Milwaukee Brewers for the 1982 season, when he died of a heart attack from an accidental drug overdose in his native city of Hermosillo at the age of 28.