Two-time All-Star and 2005 World Series champion Bobby Jenks passed away yesterday, per an announcement from the White Sox. Chicago also released a tribute video alongside the announcement. Jenks passed after a battle with adenocarcinoma, a form of stomach cancer. He was just 44 years old.
Jenks was a fifth-round pick by the Angels in the 2000 draft but was designated for assignment by the Halos before he even made it to the big leagues. He was claimed off the waiver wire by the White Sox and joined the big league bullpen in July of 2005. He scuffled a bit early on, with four runs allowed across his first five appearances in the big leagues, but settled in not long after that and notched his first career save on August 25 when he closed out a ten-inning game against the Twins.
He continued in a late-inning role for those White Sox down the stretch, and finished the regular season with a 2.75 ERA, six saves, and a 29.8% strikeout rate. Jenks’s dominance carried over into the postseason with a 2.25 ERA, four saves, and eight strikeouts in eight playoff innings. The right-hander was on the mound to finish off the club’s four-game sweep of the Astros in the Fall Classic, closing out a 1-0 victory by inducing a groundout from Orlando Palmeiro to emerge from his rookie season as a World Series champion.
He followed up that performance in his first season by pitching his way into an All-Star berth in both 2006 and 2007. He fully settled into the White Sox closer role by that point, with 81 saves across those two campaigns. That dominant 2007 season in particular saw him retire 41 consecutive batters, which was good for an MLB record at the time. By the end of the 2008 campaign, Jenks had a career 3.21 ERA with a 3.27 FIP with 146 saves collected over his time with the Sox. His numbers took a nosedive in 2009, however, as he surrendered a 4.44 ERA in 52 2/3 innings of work. Underlying analytics suggest that Jenks had pitched better than that ERA would suggest given his 2.59 FIP and 26.4% strikeout rate that year, but that wasn’t enough to stop the White Sox from deciding to part ways with him after the season.
Jenks went on to sign with the Red Sox on a two-year, $12MM contract not long after that, but the deal proved to be ill-fated. He struggled with injuries throughout the 2011 season, and posted a 6.32 ERA across the 19 appearances he was healthy enough to get on the mound for. The injuries worsened, and an MRI eventually revealed bone spurs on his spine. He underwent surgery on his back in December of 2011, but complications from that surgery arose after his surgeon left a serrated edge in his back. The effects of that mistake left Jenks bedridden and he ultimately was released by the Red Sox in June of 2012 and retired from baseball at just 31 years old.
Jenks retired from baseball with a career 3.53 ERA, 351 strikeouts, and 173 saves despite having his career cut short after just seven seasons. He returned to baseball as a coach in 2021, serving as pitching coach for the independent Pioneer League’s Grand Junction Rockies that year. He was promoted to manager for 2022 and later served as a coach in the Appalachian League and a manager in the Frontier League, though a cancer diagnosis he announced in February of 2025 forced him to bring his coaching career to a close.
In the wake of today’s news, former teammate A.J. Pierzynski remembered Jenks in a post on social media, while longtime MLB.com White Sox beat writer Scott Merkin shared a conversation he had with Jenks back in February, shortly after his diagnosis. We at MLB Trade Rumors join them and the rest of the baseball world in extending our condolences to Jenks’s family, friends, loved ones, and all of those whose lives he touched during his time in the game.
Wow. Way too damned young. 😞
RIP! So young!
Woah what the eff man??? Jeez that’s terrible! He’s always going to be part of White Sox lore for his contribution to the 2005 championship team. Rest in peace Bobby.
Acoss – In February this was heavily discussed here and elsewhere. It’s awful, but unfortunately at least partially self-inflicted.
RIP Bobby, thoughts and prayers to your loved ones.
google.com/amp/s/www.mlb.com/amp/news/bobby-jenks-…
“You know, the sh** I was doing in my 20s and early 30s, no normal person would have survived,” said Jenks, mincing no words as is his custom. “So, in one way, I’m grateful to be alive. In another way, I’m not surprised this happened. It goes to show you have to take care of yourself from top to bottom with nutrition and exercise and having a good daily plan.”
What was he doing that caused stomach cancer?! That’s wild and sad to hear!…(on the app.and can’t click the link you provided)
@ Fever
Thanks for the link. Reading that story, it’s like “wow!”, this guy had really bad run of luck. It’s a terrible ending to a remarkable story. I hope his family finds peace.
Fever – Appreciate the link. But for him to say alcohol and poor nutrition caused this is a bit far-fetched. That being the case, my brother and I should have died in the 1990s.
I think what he was suggesting is that he didn’t take care of his body well, further opening the door to whatever factors can cause cancer. Such a terrible disease, RIP Bobby Jenks!
Thank you for the fond memories of the ’05 championship run. RIP
RIP Bobby. Darn fine RP.
RIP
Way to early for Bobby to go. Sox don’t win in 2005 without him. Always have big memories of him. RIP Bobby. Too soon.
Oh, sorry to hear. He was a wonderful closer and a great personality. And last year surfaced as manager of the Windy City Thunderbolts, a local treasure. Real sadness for Chicago fans, both sides of town.
Wow very sad…even as I get older…you don’t know the time or the place or even why sometimes
And he suffered…Stomach cancer is not pleasant…May Bobby Jenks Rest in Peace
RIP, Bobby Jenks.
I was watching the Cubs game when this news broke.
Rest in Paradise Mr. Jwnks
So sad and so soon. First the Cobra, then the Jota accident now Bobby. He had just found happiness as a minor league manager when he got sick. And to pass just a week before the 2005 reunion. RIP buddy
Yeah, I read a recent interview with him and he mentioned how determined he was to make it to the celebration.
Absolutely heartbreaking.
Praying for his family and friends. 44 is just too soon.
Way too young. RIP BJ.
The 2005 World Series win would never have happened without you. RIP Bobby you were a heck of a closer.
I saw him mention that he hoped to make it to the 2005 celebration. He was in very bad health.
RIP B. Jenks!!!
Sorry to hear this, prayers for his family.
Wow, seems like he was just pitching yesterday. RIP. Must be rough for family and friends to lose him so soon.
The big and wide guy. Prayers up for his family and friends.
Thank you Bobby!! Rest in peace.
Rest in peace Bobby, my thoughts are with your family
RIP Bobby…..
Horrible news. Prayers for his loved ones.
Rip. Too young
Dang it. Heartbreaking. RIP Bobby
Condolences to Jenks family, Bobby Jenks Rest in peace. Forever young #45. Pretty sure Southside will always love ya.
That’s awful. R.I.P. Bobby Jenks
Also another RIP that this site hasn’t reported yet: Hosken Powell, former Twins and Blue Jays outfielder.
Man this is horrible news. I heard not long ago he had cancer. Not sure how long. As a Tigers fan I remember him well. Tough pitcher to go against. Prayers for the Jenks family and ChiSox nation!
He was a fun player to watch. My favorite Bobby Jenks memory was when Ozzie Guillen signaled for him by motioning for the fat guy.
Oh man, so sad!
Damn, I was just watching a vid of him pitching RIP BOBBY
RIP
RIP
So sad RIP..stomach cancer sounds brutal and based on the time since diagnosed
.aggressive
Thank you for the amazing memories. Best wishes to all of your loved ones. Rest in Peace Mr. Jenks.
Terrible. R.I.P. Bobby.
For a very short while he was a dominant Closer and won a ring on the south side
He’s so young, very sad. I also remember him on the Red Sox.
He threw 100 when it wasn’t as common as it is today. He was fun to watch. RIP big man.
Fluoride claims another one.
RIP Bobby. How many world champion have three different closers in the season? And all four starters throw a
complete game in a series? He was part of some magical pitching, pitching we’ll never see again. You were fun to watch Big Bobby.
He was a World Series winner, not a so-called “world champion”. ESPN pulled the same s#!t in its story about Mr. Jenks.
On a side note, Mr. Jenks passed away in Portugal where he moved earlier this year to be closer to his wife’s family.
Gosh, 44 is way too young! He deserved to have lived longer, but R.I.P. Jenks…
R.I.P. Big guy!
A good pitcher, a great guy, and an amazing human being.
Somewhere Ozzie is signaling with his right arm up high and with both hands out wide.
And God called in the Big Guy.
Oh my god this is so awful to hear! RIP Bobby!
I rarely post here, but Jenks was special. I had never seen an arm like his. Really feel for his children, that awful. Hug your loved ones, everybody.
RIP Bobby and peace to your family. God bless and keep you always!
Rest in plush Bob Jenks. Bob was so good I’d say even as of yesterday he could of given an MLB team a solid inning or two with multiple k’s. He. Was. That. Good!
Feel privileged to have been in attendance for his series clinching win in Boston, and the final out of the World Series in Houston. Really gets you when you see a tough guy like Aaron Rowand breaking down on camera when asked to describe what a gentle soul Bobby was. Just like the Cobra passing away just before his induction into Cooperstown, a shame Bobby wasn’t well enough to join his teammates next weekend. Sure there will be plenty of stories