Blue Jays World Series Champion Duane Ward Passes Away

The Toronto Blue Jays have announced the passing of reliever Duane Ward, a key piece of their World Series championship runs in 1992 and 1993.

The Blue Jays announced that Ward died of natural causes. He was 62 years old.

Per MLB.com’s Keegan Matheson, Ward was in town this weekend as the Blue Jays celebrated their World Series championship teams and unveiled a statue of Joe Carter, who hit the series-clinching Game 6 home run in the 1993 fall classic against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Ward spent nearly his entire nine-year Major League career with the Blue Jays and had 121 career saves.

Duane Ward’s Blue Jays Life

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Ward had his best season in baseball in 1993 as he became the Blue Jays primary closer with the departure of Tom Henke to the Texas Rangers.

Ward was brilliant as he became an All-Star for the only time in his career and finished with a 2-3 record and a 2.13 ERA. He pitched in 71 games and claimed 45 saves as he struck out 97 hitters and walked 25. He was so good that he finished fifth in American League Cy Young voting and 22nd in AL MVP voting.

In the American League Championship Series against the Chicago White Sox, he had a 5.79 ERA but finished with two saves as the Blue Jays won the series, 4-2. In the World Series he was 1-0 with a 1.93 ERA and two saves. He struck out seven and walked none in 4.2 innings.

That was the summit of his career. He missed all of 1994 with biceps tendonitis and pitched in 1995, but only he only threw in four games before he retired. He finished his career with a record of 32-37 with a 3.28 ERA, including 121 saves, 679 strikeouts and 286 walks.

Post-career, he worked in radio with Sportsnet 590 The Fan on Blue Jays games. He is a member of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame.

Ward was born in Park View, N.M., in 1964, and was selected No. 9 overall out of high school by the Atlanta Braves in 1982. He debuted with Atlanta in 1986 but didn’t stay long with the Braves as he was traded later that season for Blue Jays rotation mainstay Doyle Alexander.

The right-hander was never a starter, but he was a workhorse in his era. He threw in at least 64 games in six straight seasons, leading the Majors with 81 appearances in 1991. He also threw at least 100 innings in five straight seasons from 1988-92, serving as the primary set-up man in save situations.

In 1988 he went 9-3 with a 3.30 ERA, which represented his career best in wins. He was also ninth in AL Cy Young voting in 1991.

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