BOSTON — Tim Wakefield, the knuckleballing workhorse of the Boston Red Sox pitching staff who bounced back after giving up a season-ending home run to the Yankees in the 2003 playoffs to help Boston win its curse-busting World Series title the following year, has died. He was 57.
The Red Sox announced his death in a statement Sunday. Wakefield had brain cancer, according to ex-teammate Curt Schilling, who outed the illness on a podcast last week — drawing an outpouring of support for Wakefield. The Red Sox confirmed an illness at the time but did not elaborate, saying Wakefield had requested privacy.
On Sunday night, the Red Sox announced on X, formerly known as Twitter, "Today the entire team wore their jerseys in the dugout, no sweatshirts or jackets, as a tribute to Wake and everything he represented as the ultimate Red Sox player." The post included a quote from long-time teammate, and current coach for the Red Sox, Jason Varitek.
"Wake exemplifies what this uniform is," the quote reads.
NESN broadcaster and Lewiston, Maine native Tom Caron said he got the call that Wakefield had died while Caron was live on-air doing the pre-game show for Sunday's Red Sox season finale.
"When Tim Wakefield played the game, one of the things you'll hear from his teammates is that he was a tough veteran on the young players, but part of that was because he wanted you as a young player to understand how special it was to be part of a major league team. And part of that was dressing the part, acting the part. So Tim Wakefield always had his jersey on, always looked his Sunday best in his uniform," Caron said. "Alex Cora, right before the game finding out with everyone else, just said today we dress like major leaguers. Today we all look our best. I want everyone in this dugout looking like they're ready to go out there and play. And that was a nice little tribute to Tim."
"He was a hell of a pitcher. I always say, 'He harnessed the magic of baseball.' He harnessed the magic pitch, and he was a special guy. When he retired, he continued to harness the magic of baseball using the platform of the Red Sox in his career to help so many thousands of people."
Wakefield was the honorary captain of the Red Sox Foundation, and the first Jimmy Fund team captain, visiting with patients and raising funds for the childhood cancer charity.
Also on Sunday, Seattle Mariners pitcher George Kirby threw a knuckleball, the pitch Wakefield was known for, during a game against the Texas Rangers. Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, who grew up a Red Sox fan, called for the pitch.
“I loved watching that guy throw, even though he's a Red Sox player and I'm a born Yankee fan,” Kirby said after the game. “But yeah, it was a great day to throw it and I'm glad Seager missed it and didn't take it deep. So, yeah that was fun.”
Wakefield was in Maine in June for the Drive Fore Kids Golf tournament, along with Caron.
"Just about a month ago, he and I were talking and he told me that he and his wife, Staci, shot up to Maine for a night just because she didn't get to come when we were having those events. And so he wanted her to see Commercial Street and walk in the Old Port and show her the town that he was falling in love with. So he loved Portland, and he loved Maine."
Drafted by the Pirates as a first baseman who set home run records in college, Wakefield converted to a pitcher after mastering the knuckleball in the minor leagues. Relying on the old-timey pitch that had largely fallen into disuse, he went on to win 200 major league games, including 186 with the Red Sox — behind only Cy Young and Roger Clemens in franchise history.
But it was his role in the Red Sox-Yankees rivalry of the early 2000s that turned Wakefield into a fan favorite whose impact went far beyond his numbers.
After New York rallied to tie Game 7 of the ’03 AL Championship Series, Wakefield came on in relief in the 11th inning and Aaron Boone hit his first pitch for a walkoff home run to end Boston’s season and extend a World Series drought that stretched back to 1918.
The following October, with the Red Sox season again at risk against the Yankees in the ALCS, Wakefield got nine outs in extra innings of Game 5, setting up David Ortiz to win it in the 14th. The Red Sox went on to complete their comeback from a three-games-to-none deficit and then sweep St. Louis in the World Series to claim their first championship in 86 years.
The Red Sox, and Wakefield, won it all again in 2007.
“There were some years there where I didn’t know if I was going to come back or not,” Wakefield said at his 2012 retirement news conference. “But I’m very grateful that I’ve been able to put this uniform on for such a long time, and win two World Series for this great city.”
Wakefield was 11-3 when he made his only All-Star Game in 2009, becoming the second-oldest player — to Satchel Paige — ever selected to his first All-Star Game. Wakefield was the oldest player in baseball at 45 when he earned his 200th win in September, 2011, retiring his final six batters.
He announced his retirement the following spring training, seven wins short of breaking the franchise record for wins held by Clemens and Young.
“I’m still a competitor, but ultimately I think this is what’s best for the Red Sox,” he said at the time. “I think this is what’s best for my family. And to be honest with you, seven wins isn’t going to make me a different person or a better man. So, my family really needs me at home.”
An eighth-round Pittsburgh draft pick in 1988, Wakefield converted to a pitcher two years later in an effort to revive his chances of making the majors. He got his call-up midway through the 1992 season and went 8-1, finishing third in the NL Rookie of the Year voting.
He added two complete games in the NL playoffs — one in Game 6 to keep Pittsburgh alive. (He was voted the MVP of the Series late in Game 7, before the Atlanta Braves rallied to win on Francisco Cabrera’s single with two out in the bottom of the ninth.)
But Wakefield was unable to recapture his success in his second year in Pittsburgh, going 6-11 with a 5.61 ERA. He was released by the Pirates after another trip through the minors, and signed six days later by the Red Sox.
Wakefield again strung together a dominant run, starting 14-1 in 1995 before finishing the year at 16-8 with a 2.95 ERA. After 17 seasons with Boston, he retired as the franchise leader with 3,006 innings and 430 starts, and second in games and strikeouts.
In all, he was 200-180 with a 4.41 ERA.
Wakefield was also an eight-time nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award that goes to a ballplayer for exemplary sportsmanship and community involvement, winning it in 2010. After retiring, he became an analyst for Red Sox broadcasts and remained active in the team’s charities.
"He told me the Roberto Clemente Award was the most important honor he was ever given," Caron said.
“Tim’s kindness and indomitable spirit were as legendary as his knuckleball,” Red Sox owner John Henry said. “He not only captivated us on the field but was the rare athlete whose legacy extended beyond the record books to the countless lives he touched with his warmth and genuine spirit. He had a remarkable ability to uplift, inspire, and connect with others in a way that showed us the true definition of greatness. He embodied the very best of what it means to be a member of the Boston Red Sox and his loss is felt deeply by all of us.”