The Toronto Blue Jays announced Sunday that former relief pitcher Duane Ward, a cornerstone of the franchise’s back-to-back World Series championship teams, has passed away at age 62 from natural causes in Toronto.
Ward had traveled to the city on Friday but did not take part in Saturday’s celebration at Rogers Centre honoring the 1992 and 1993 World Series title teams, an event attended by more than two dozen former players, coaches, and executives.
The Blue Jays released a statement paying tribute to the late pitcher: “Duane will be deeply missed by our fans, and we extend our heartfelt condolences to his family. 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.”
Originally selected ninth overall in the 1982 draft by the Atlanta Braves, Ward made his major league debut with Atlanta on April 12, 1986. He was later dealt to Toronto in July in exchange for veteran starter Doyle Alexander. Over his career with the Blue Jays, Ward accumulated 121 saves and made 452 appearances on the mound — both ranking second in franchise history.
During Toronto’s first World Series run in 1992, Ward served as the bullpen’s primary setup man, posting a 1.95 ERA with 103 strikeouts. The very next year, he stepped into the closer’s role and earned an All-Star selection, finishing with a 2.13 ERA and a league-best 45 saves as the Blue Jays repeated as champions.
Ward was nothing short of dominant in the postseason, going 3-0 with a 1.13 ERA and two saves across 19 playoff appearances, including eight World Series outings. He was the pitcher of record in Game 6 of the 1993 World Series — the game made famous by Joe Carter’s walk-off home run that clinched the title over 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’s statement read.
Across 462 total games split between Toronto and Atlanta, Ward finished his career with a 32-37 record, a 3.28 ERA, 679 strikeouts, and 286 walks over 666 2/3 innings pitched.
A shoulder injury — a torn rotator cuff combined with biceps tendinitis — cost Ward the entire 1994 season. He returned briefly in 1995, appearing in four games before calling it a career.
A New Mexico native, Ward was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 2020.
