Tim Wakefield, Red Sox Hall Of Famer, Dead At 57

MLB star Tim Wakefield, who played for the Boston Red Sox for over a decade, has died at age 57. "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," the Red Sox wrote in a statement shared on X, formerly known as Twitter.

The tragic news of Wakefield's death follows the recent revelation that the MLB veteran was diagnosed with brain cancer. "Tim Wakefield is sick," former MLB player Curt Schilling shared on his eponymous podcast. "Recently, Tim was diagnosed with a very serious, [and] aggressive form of brain cancer." During the episode, Schilling added that Wakefield had undergone surgery for his condition while revealing that his wife, Stacy Stover, had received a pancreatic cancer diagnosis in 2023. 

Following news of Wakefield's death, fans have taken to social media to pay tributes to the MLB legend. "It isn't very often I have no words. Today I have none. Tears, yes. Sadness, yes. Tim Wakefield has passed away. Rest In Peace one of the best men I have known," Jerry Trupiano, former Boston Red Sox play-by-play announcer, wrote in a tweet.

After a successful college career, Tim Wakefield was drafted into the MLB by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1988. Though he initially started out playing in the minor league, Wakefield ended up playing with the Pirates for two seasons before going on to join the Boston Red Sox in 1995. While playing for the Red Sox, Wakefield etched his name in the sands of time, racking up a total of 186 major league wins with the team. During his time with the team, Wakefield became popular for his signature pitch, the knuckleball. 

Following a wildly successful tenure with the Red Sox, Wakefield retired in 2012. "There have been many ups and downs along the way, but one thing is for sure, every time I stepped on that field I gave everything I had. All I ever wanted to do was win. And the bigger goal was to win a World Series for this great city. So, finally, after 86 years we were able to do that (in 2004) and the greatest thrill for me was to share it with all the players before us, but more importantly was sharing it with generations and generations of Red Sox fans," he said in his retirement announcement, per ESPN.

Beyond his professional achievements, the MLB legend also enjoyed a blissful family life with his wife Stacy Stover. According to CNN, the couple shared two children, Trevor and Brianna.