Former Boston Red Sox outfielder and two-time MLB All-Star Mike Greenwell died on Thursday in Boston, according to reports. He was 62.
Greenwell’s death was announced by the Lee County Government in Florida, where he had served as county commissioner since 2022.
“It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Commissioner Mike Greenwell, a lifelong Lee County resident,” Lee County Government wrote in a Facebook post. “He was a strong advocate for the people and businesses of Lee County and will be remembered for seeking meaningful solutions to the challenges his community faces. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and all who were touched by his leadership.”
No cause of death was given. However, Greenwell revealed in August he had been diagnosed with medullary thyroid cancer, The Boston Globe reports.
Greenwell’s wife, Tracy, also confirmed his death in a social media post.
“With a heavy heart, I lost my best friend today,” Tracy wrote on social media, AP reports. “It was Mike’s time to be an angel. At 10:30 a.m. in Boston’s General Hospital. We are forever grateful for the life he has given us.”
Greenwell, nicknamed “The Gator” by teammates for his childhood habit of wrestling alligators, played 12 seasons in MLB from 1985-96, all with the Red Sox. He earned two consecutive All-Star selections in 1988 and 1989, earned a Silver Slugger award in 1988, and finished second in American League MVP voting that same season.
For his career, Greenwell hit .303 with 130 home runs, 726 RBI, 80 stolen bases and an .831 OPS in 1,269 games for Boston.
“Mike was an unbelievable teammate and an unbelievable friend,” said former MLB outfielder Ellis Burks, who played with Greenwell for six seasons in Boston from 1987-92, per MLB.com. “He and I were friends from Day 1. That’s a tremendous loss, not only to his family, but for me as well. It’s tough when you have a friend dealing with an illness for a while like that. My condolences go out to his family.”
The Red Sox also issued a statement remembering the late Greenwell.
“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Red Sox Hall of Famer Mike Greenwell,” the Red Sox wrote in a post to X on Thursday. “‘The Gator’ spent his entire career in a Red Sox uniform and was a beloved fixture of Fenway and Fort Myers. He gave so much to Lee County and Sox Nation. We send our love to the Greenwell family.”
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