Former Blue Jays reliever Duane Ward, a key member of Toronto’s World Series championship teams in 1992 and 1993, died at 62, the team announced Sunday.
The team announced that Ward died of natural causes in Toronto. He arrived in the city on Friday but did not attend festivities on Saturday to remember those World Series titles at Rogers Centre, attended by more than two dozen players, coaches and executives.
“Duane will be deeply missed by our fans, and we extend our heartfelt condolences to his family,” the Blue Jays said in a statement. “Duane will always be a cherished part of the Blue Jays family, and we will be forever grateful for his contributions to our organization and to baseball in Canada.”
The No. 9 overall pick of the 1982 draft by the Braves, Ward made his debut with Atlanta on April 12, 1986, before being traded in July to Toronto for veteran starting pitcher Doyle Alexander. Ward ranks second in Blue Jays franchise history in saves (121) and appearances by a pitcher (452).
In 1992, when the Blue Jays won their first World Series, Ward thrived as the bullpen’s lead setup man with a 1.95 ERA and 103 strikeouts. The following season, he was an All-Star closer with a 2.13 ERA and an American League-leading 45 saves for the World Series champions.
In eight World Series appearances, Ward — who pitched in 19 postseason games — went 3-0 with 1.13 ERA and two saves. He earned the win in Game 6 of the 1993 Fall Classic, when Joe Carter’s walk-off home run clinched the title against the Philadelphia Phillies.
“Whether setting the stage in the eighth inning or closing out wins, he will be remembered for the role he played in some of the greatest moments in Blue Jays history,” the team said in its statement.
In 462 games with Toronto and Atlanta, Ward went 32-37 with a 3.28 ERA, 679 strikeouts and 286 walks in 666 2/3 innings.
He missed the 1994 season with a torn rotator cuff and biceps tendinitis, then retired after appearing in four games in 1995.
A native of New Mexico, Ward was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 2020.
