Duane Ward, the right-handed reliever who helped the Toronto Blue Jays win back-to-back World Series titles in the early 1990s, has died. The Blue Jays announced he was 62 and that he died of natural causes while in Toronto for a statue unveiling outside Rogers Centre.
The team held a tribute before Sunday’s game that included a montage on the center-field videoboard and a moment of silence. Ward had been scheduled to appear at ceremonies marking the 1992 and 1993 championship teams when he died, the club said.
Duane Ward — what happened in Toronto
According to the Blue Jays, Ward passed away while in Toronto for the statue unveiling celebrating the club’s consecutive World Series wins. The event brought together more than two dozen former players, coaches and executives at Rogers Centre over the weekend.
The club released a statement expressing condolences to Ward’s family and calling him a “cherished part of the Blue Jays family.” The announcement identified his death as the result of natural causes and gave no further medical details.
Blue Jays tribute for Duane Ward
The Blue Jays paused before Sunday’s game against the Chicago White Sox to honor Ward. A tribute montage played on the videoboard in center field and the stadium observed a moment of silence before the first pitch.
Players, staff and fans in attendance reacted quietly as the team remembered Ward’s role in the championship teams. The organization’s statement noted his lasting place in club history and said he would be deeply missed by the organization and its supporters.
Career highlights with the Blue Jays
Ward spent parts of nine seasons with the Blue Jays after being traded from the Atlanta Braves in 1986. He developed into a reliable late-inning reliever during Toronto’s early-1990s run of success.
His 1992 season was one of the best of his career: Ward posted a 1.95 ERA, recorded 12 saves and struck out 103 batters in 101.1 innings. In 1993 he saved 45 games, finished a major-league-leading 70 games and compiled a 2.13 ERA across 71.2 innings.
Ward was equally effective in the postseason. Across his World Series appearances he owned a 1.13 ERA, recorded two postseason saves and earned the win in Game 6 of the 1993 World Series, the game that preceded Joe Carter’s walk-off homer that clinched the title.
Originally the Braves’ top draft pick out of Farmington High School in New Mexico in 1982, Ward made his major-league debut with Atlanta before becoming a fixture in Toronto’s bullpen. An arm injury cost him the 1994 season, and he made just four appearances in 1995 before his big-league career concluded.
Over 462 big-league games, Ward finished with a 3.28 career ERA and totaled 679 strikeouts in 666.2 innings pitched, numbers that underline his role as a key contributor to the Blue Jays’ championship window.
Cause of death and next steps
The Blue Jays identified Ward’s cause of death as natural causes in their initial announcement and did not provide additional details about the circumstances. At this time the team has not released plans for public arrangements or memorials.
The organization said it would share updates if further information becomes available and reiterated condolences to Ward’s family and loved ones.
Background
Ward rose to prominence in Toronto as a dependable late-inning arm during the franchise’s most celebrated period. His peak seasons in 1992 and 1993 coincided with the club’s only World Series titles to date, and his postseason reliability remains part of his legacy with Blue Jays fans.
Reporting and sources: Details in this report are based on the Blue Jays’ initial team statement and reporting by Fox News.
Source: Fox News
