Colorado Rockies Honor Bobby Jenks Before Chicago White Sox Game

The Colorado Rockies took a moment to honor the passing of Chicago White Sox World Series star Bobby Jenks on Saturday.

Apr 24, 2010; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago White Sox relief pitcher Bobby Jenks (45) delivers a pitch during the ninth inning of a game against the Seattle Mariners at US Cellular Field. The White Sox defeated the Mariners 5-4. / Dennis Wierzbicki-Imagn Images

The Major League Baseball world was saddened to hear of the loss of former Chicago White Sox pitcher Bobby Jenks on Saturday.

Jenks was just 44 years old when he died on Friday in Sintra, Portugal, after a battle with adenocarcinoma, a form of stomach cancer. The White Sox announced his passing on social media.

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Chicago was in Colorado this weekend to face the Rockies in a three-game series. Jenks’ passing was announced before the game, and the Rockies paused pre-game for a moment of silence to honor Jenks and the White Sox.

Jenks also had a connection to the state of Colorado. In 2021 he joined the organization as the pitching coach for the Grand Junction Rockies of the MLB Partner Pioneer League. He was promoted to manager of the team in 2022 and led it to a championship.

Our thoughts are with Bobby Jenks' family, friends, former teammates and the White Sox organization during this most difficult time. pic.twitter.com/Cl8L0kSEI8

— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) July 6, 2025

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Incredibly, Jenks was honored the same day he made his Major League debut with the White Sox on July 5, 2005. Chicago had claimed the flame-throwing right-hander for $20,000 in the offseason after he was unable to earn a Major League job with the Los Angeles Angels, where he was drafted in the fifth round in 2000.

He became an immediate relief option for the White Sox and endeared himself to fans during their World Series title run. In the regular season he went 1-1 with a 2.75 ERA in 32 games, with six saves, 50 strikeouts and 15 walks in 39.1 innings.

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In the postseason, he came up huge. He pitched in six games and claimed four saves — two in the AL Division Series against the Boston Red Sox and two in the World Series against the Houston Astros. That included clinching the title in Game 4 of the series.

Jenks was an All-Star closer each of the next two seasons, as he saved a combined 81 games. In six seasons with the White Sox he saved 173 games, went 14-18 with a 3.40 ERA and struck out 344 in 341.2 innings.

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He signed a free-agent deal with the Boston Red Sox in 2011 but only pitched in 19 games and had a 2-2 record with a 6.32 ERA. During the season he was diagnosed with bone spurs on his spine and a pulmonary embolism. The surgery on his spine led to the end of his career, as a mistake made during surgery left him unable to pitch. He later won a malpractice suit against the surgeon.

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