Former Yankees all-star Luis Arroyo dies at 88

Arroyo's daughter, Milagros, told the team Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2016, that Arroyo had died earlier in the day in Puerto Rico. He was 88. (Kathy Willens, File/AP)

NEW YORK — Luis Arroyo, a two-time All-Star pitcher who helped the New York Yankees win the 1961 World Series, died Wednesday. He was 88.

The Yankees said Arroyo’s daughter, Milagros, told the team he died in Puerto Rico. She said he had been diagnosed last month with cancer.

According to baseballreference.com, Arroyo was the first Puerto Rican-born player to appear for the Yankees. He joined them in 1960 and was a key part of their AL pennant-winning staff that year.

Arroyo followed up with an All-Star season. The 5-foot-8 lefty was 15-5 with a big league-leading 29 saves, pitching 119 innings while making 65 relief appearances. He then earned another victory in the 1961 Series against Cincinnati.

Arroyo was an All-Star as a rookie starter with St. Louis in 1955. Featuring a screwball, he was 40-32 with 45 saves and a 3.93 ERA in eight seasons with the Cardinals, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and the Yankees.

After that, Arroyo scouted for the Yankees. In recent years, he was a popular figure at Old-Timers’ Day ceremonies at Yankee Stadium.

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