Former Red Sox pitcher Tim Wakefield dies at 57

Tim Wakefield, a former World Series champion pitcher with the Boston Red Sox, has died at the age of 57 after a battle with cancer. 

Wakefield’s former team announced his death in a social media post on Sunday. 

“Our hearts are broken with the loss of Tim Wakefield,” the team said in an X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, post. 

“Wake embodied true goodness; a devoted husband, father, and teammate, beloved broadcaster, and the ultimate community leader,” the team added. “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.”

Wakefield, who made his major league debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1992, spent sixteen of his twenty major league seasons with Boston, compiling a 200-192 record and 4.41 earned runs average (ERA) in over 3,000 major league innings. 

Wakefield, who was a part of two World Series championship teams in the 2000s, retired in 2012. He spent years as a studio analyst for regional sports network New England Sports Network (NESN) and focused on his philanthropic work in the Boston area.

Wakefield’s death comes days after the team issued a statement saying that Wakefield was undergoing treatment for a disease, asking fans to respect his family’s privacy. 

“Unfortunately, this information has been shared publicly without their permission,” the team said in their statement. “Their health is a deeply personal matter they intended to keep private as they navigate treatment and work to tackle this disease. Tim and Stacy are appreciative of the support and love that has always been extended to them and respectfully ask for privacy at this time.” 

Questions about Wakefield’s health came to light after his former teammate, Curt Schilling, said during a podcast episode that Wakefield was battling brain cancer, according to NBC News. 

Many social media users called out Schilling, who has gained notoriety for his conservative commentary, for outing the details of Wakefield’s health without the consent of Wakefield’s family.