Greenwell spent his entire 12-year career in MLB with the Red Sox.
Mike Greenwell played his entire 12-year MLB career with the Red Sox. The Boston Globe
Mike Greenwell — a member of the Red Sox Hall of Fame who spent his entire 12-season MLB career with Boston — has died at 62 years old following a battle with cancer.
The news of Greenwell’s passing was announced by Lee County officials in Florida, with the former Red Sox outfielder serving as a commissioner for the county at the time of his death.
“It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Commissioner Mike Greenwell, a lifelong Lee County resident,” Lee County announced on its Facebook account. “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 faced. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and all who were touched by his leadership.”
Greenwell initially announced in August 2025 that he had been diagnosed with medullary thyroid cancer.
Nicknamed “The Gator”, Greenwell entrenched himself in the heart of Boston’s lineup throughout his 12-year run with the Red Sox.
A two-time All-Star, Greenwell finished fourth overall in voting for the American League Rookie of the Year Award in 1987 before breaking out the following year.
He took home a Silver Slugger Award in 1988 after batting .325 with 39 doubles, eight triples, 22 home runs, and 119 RBI.
Those efforts led to him finishing runner-up in the voting for the AL MVP Award that season behind Oakland’s Jose Canseco — with Canseco’s admitted steroid use years later prompting Greenwell to campaign for the accolade.
One of Greenwell’s top highlights with Boston came on Sept. 2, 1996 — when Greenwell drove in all nine runs for the Red Sox in what was a 9-8 extra-innings victory over the Mariners at the Kingdome. That stands as an MLB record for most runs driven in by one player accounting for all of that team’s runs in a single game.
9/2/1996 OTD
Mike Greenwell, batting 8th, has an impressive stat line
(4-5, 2 R, 2 HR, 2B, 9 RBI)
RED SOX won that game 9-8….
Greenwell is the only player in MLB history with ≥ 9 RBI that drove in ALL of his team’s runs#Gatorpic.twitter.com/doWlm2xbDc
— Barstool Boston (@BarstoolBoston) September 3, 2022
A poised presence at the plate, Greenwell batted .303 for his career in the big leagues with 130 home runs and 726 RBI. He never struck out more than 46 times in a full season with Boston.
Greenwell was officially inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2008.
Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.
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