Mike Bruhert

Who is Mike Bruhert?

Michael Edwin Bruhert is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He is the former son-in-law of former New York Mets manager Gil Hodges.

Bruhert was drafted by the Mets as an amateur free agent in 1971. Shortly after joining the club, he began dating Gil Hodges' daughter, Irene. The two were engaged by the time Bruhert was claimed by the Philadelphia Phillies in the rule 5 draft in 1972. Following Spring training 1973, he was returned to the Mets.

After seven seasons in the Mets' farm system, in which he went 38-51 with a 3.69 earned run average, Bruhert made his major league debut in the second game of a doubleheader with the Montreal Expos on April 9, 1978. He pitched six strong innings, allowing only one earned run, however, he took the loss. He earned his first win in his next start against the St. Louis Cardinals. His finest performance was a complete game shutout of the Phillies on September 17, in which he struck out five and allowed just four hits.

For the season, Bruhert went 4-11 with a 4.78 ERA and 56 strikeouts. He was traded to the Texas Rangers in 1979 along with Bob Myrick for star pitcher Dock Ellis.