Boston Red Sox great and one of the most notable knuckleball pitchers of the modern era, Tim Wakefield, reportedly has passed away at the youthful age of 57.
While he had some lean seasons during his 17 years wearing a Boston Red Sox uniform, few pitchers played longer for the franchise than Tim Wakefield. Sadly, on Sunday afternoon the organization announced via their X/Twitter account that the 19-year MLB veteran had unexpectedly passed away.
“Our hearts are broken with the loss of Tim Wakefield. Wake embodied true goodness; a devoted husband, father, and teammate, beloved broadcaster, and the ultimate community leader. He gave so much to the game and all of Red Sox Nation. Our deepest love and thoughts are with Stacy, Trevor, Brianna, and the Wakefield family.”
– Boston Red Sox
It is unclear at this time the exact cause of Wakefield’s sudden and tragic death, however, it was revealed he was battling serious health issues due to an ongoing fight with brain cancer.
Tim Wakefield won 186 games for the Boston Red Sox
In an era where the era shifted away from finesse pitchers to power arms, Wakefield was one of the sport’s last prominent soft tossers for nearly two decades. He was originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates as power power-hitting first baseman. However, in the minor leagues, he learned the legendary knuckleball and it earned him a trip to the big show in 1992.
After losing a couple of seasons due to injuries, he eventually caught on with the Boston Red Sox in 1995 and began a memorable tenure with the team. He earned Cy Young nominations during a 16-win debut season and won 10 or more games 11 times for the franchise.
While he was with the team for some frustrating low points, he was also there when they ended a decades-long streak without a World Series title in 2004, and then won 17 games when they earned another MLB championship in 2007.
He ended his career in 2011 having won 200 games during his big league career. In Boston, he finished with a 186-168 record, an ERA of 4.43, earned 22 saves during stints in the bullpen, and struck out 2,046 batters to 1,095 walks.