(CNN) — Longtime Boston Red Sox pitcher Tim Wakefield died Sunday morning at age 57, the staff announced in a news release.
No lead to of death was provided, while the group issued a assertion earlier this week acknowledging that the former pitcher was battling a “disease,” and requesting privacy for the Wakefield household.
“Our hearts are damaged with the reduction of Tim Wakefield,” the Red Sox posted on X on Sunday. “Wake embodied correct goodness a devoted partner, father, and teammate, beloved broadcaster, and the supreme community leader. He gave so significantly to the sport and all of Crimson Sox Nation.”
Purple Sox legend and baseball Hall of Famer David Ortiz posted a photo on Instagram of him hugging Wakefield, writing, “I simply cannot explain what you necessarily mean to me and my relatives, my coronary heart is damaged correct now simply because l will never be in a position to exchange a brother and a buddy like you.”
“He was real. He was Course. This is genuinely terrible news,” longtime Boston sportswriter Bob Ryan wrote on X.
Wakefield was drafted out of university as a to start with baseman but when his vocation stalled he turned to a not often thrown pitch to make the majors. He grew to become a correct-handed beginning pitcher famed for becoming 1 of the several huge leaguers to function a knuckleball and in his profession he won 200 game titles,
Wakefield performed two seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates just before beginning a 17-yr stint with the Pink Sox. He gained a pair of World Series championships with the Purple Sox, including their earn in 2004 soon after a historic rally in the American League Championship Collection and their subsequent MLB title in 2007.
He was the receiver of the 2010 Roberto Clemente Award recognizing “extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and constructive contributions, equally on and off the industry.”
In 1995, Wakefield concluded third in voting for the Cy Youthful Award and was selected as American League Comeback Participant of the Year by the Sporting Information.
His 186 victories in his Purple Sox career are just 6 powering workforce document-setters Youthful and Roger Clemens. Wakefield’s 3,006 innings and 430 starts are club information.
At his retirement announcement in February 2012, Wakefield explained all he ever wanted to do was to aid the Red Sox be champions.
“There have been quite a few ups and downs alongside the way, but 1 issue is for sure, each and every time I stepped on that field I gave every little thing I experienced. All I at any time needed to do was earn. And the larger intention was to gain a Globe Collection for this excellent town,” he mentioned. “So, lastly, following 86 years we have been ready to do that (in 2004) and the biggest thrill for me was to share it with all the gamers before us, but more importantly was sharing it with generations and generations of Pink Sox enthusiasts.”
Next his 19-year occupation, Wakefield remained concerned with the Pink Sox business, expending a full of 29 years with the club as a participant, specific assistant and broadcaster. Wakefield also served as the honorary chairman of the Purple Sox Foundation.
“Tim’s kindness and indomitable spirit have been as famous as his knuckleball,” explained Crimson Sox proprietor John Henry. “He not only captivated us on the industry but was the exceptional athlete whose legacy prolonged beyond the record publications to the numerous lives he touched with his warmth and authentic spirit. He experienced a outstanding means to uplift, inspire, and link with many others in a way that showed us the genuine definition of greatness. He embodied the very very best of what it usually means to be a member of the Boston Purple Sox and his loss is felt deeply by all of us.”
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred referred to as Wakefield a “respected teammate” and “one of the most special pitchers of his technology.” His knuckleball was thrown with the strategies of his index and middle fingers firmly planted on the leather-based deal with and pushing the ball from his fingers with the thumb and ring finger. That prevented the ball from spinning and made its route to the batter unpredictable and normally bewildering.
Manfred sent condolences of behalf of big league officials to his family, previous teammates and buddies.
“We will go on to assist our companions at Stand Up To Most cancers in the memory of Tim and all those people who are in the struggle versus this sickness,” Manfred claimed in a statement.
The Pirates stated of Wakefield, “He was a wonderful man who will be dearly missed. Our ideas and prayers are with his loved ones at this complicated time.”
Wakefield’s medical situation was not publicly known until Curt Schilling, a previous teammate on the Purple Sox, shared it on his podcast. Schilling was immediately and commonly criticized for performing so, and the Crimson Sox introduced a statement clarifying that the data was “shared… with no [the Wakefield family’s] permission.”
Wakefield is survived by his spouse, Stacy, and their youngsters, Trevor and Brianna.
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