Tim Wakefield, one of the masters of the knuckleball pitch who won two World Series titles with the Boston Red Sox, has died. He was 57.
It was revealed earlier in the week that Wakefield was battling brain cancer.
“Our hearts are broken with the loss of Tim Wakefield,” the Red Sox said on Sunday.
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“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.”
The Pittsburgh Pirates selected Wakefield in the eighth round of the 1988 MLB Draft. Four years later, he made his debut with the team. He appeared in 13 games and had a 2.15 ERA with 51 strikeouts. He then put together 59 strikeouts in the 1993 season.
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The Red Sox signed Wakefield in the spring of 1995, and he remained with Boston for the remainder of his career. He was a part of a powerhouse rotation but brought an extra wrench in his arsenal with the knuckleball. He worked with Joe and Phil Niekro to develop the pitch.
The pitch helped lengthen his career as he went from a full-time starter to a reliever. He pitched until his age-44 season.
He was on the team that broke “The Curse of the Bambino” in 2004 – one year after he allowed a walk-off home run to Aaron Boone of the New York Yankees in the 2003 American League Championship Series. He was also on the 2007 team that defeated the Colorado Rockies in the World Series.
Wakefield played 19 years in the majors. He had a 4.41 ERA with 200 wins and 2,156 strikeouts.
