Longtime big league reliever Duane Ward passed away this weekend, as announced by the Blue Jays. Ward passed in Toronto, as the right-hander was among the many former Jays in town for the unveiling of the Joe Carter statue in commemoration of the 1992-93 World Series championship teams. Ward arrived in Toronto on Friday but didn’t attend the statue ceremony prior to Saturday’s game.
Selected ninth overall by the Braves in the 1982 draft, Ward made his big league debut for Atlanta in 1986 but was dealt that July to the Jays for Doyle Alexander. Ward then spent the rest of his career in Toronto, becoming a staple of the club’s bullpen first as a set-up man and then as a closer.
The 1988 season was Ward’s first full year in the majors, and he posted a 3.30 ERA over 64 appearances and 111 2/3 innings. That year established Ward as the Blue Jays’ chief set-up man in front of closer Tom Henke, and the two right-handers became one of the most dominant late-game duos of the era. Henke usually acted in a traditional closer role and Ward logged a lot of innings as more of a fireman — from 1988-93, no pitcher in baseball had more appearances than Ward’s 434 games.
Ward’s strong work during this time was recognized by a ninth-place finish in AL Cy Young voting in 1991, when he posted a 2.77 ERA and 30.8% strikeout rate over 107 1/3 innings and generated 4.1 fWAR. With Henke battling groin and shoulder problems that season, Ward also recorded 23 saves, more than capably filling in at closer.
The Blue Jays won their first World Series title in 1992, with Ward contributing a 1.95 ERA over 101 1/3 innings and Henke a 2.26 ERA in 55 2/3 innings. This was the duo’s final season as teammates, as Henke signed a free agent deal to join the Rangers during the offseason. Ward was then elevated to the closer’s role on a full-time basis, and the result was another Toronto championship in 1993 and another superb performance from the right-hander.
Over 71 2/3 innings in 1993, Ward posted a 2.13 ERA and 34.3% strikeout rate, while recording 45 saves. That save total led the American League and is still the single-season record for a Blue Jays pitcher. Ward’s performance was recognized with the only All-Star nod of his career, plus a fifth-place finish in AL Cy Young Award voting.
Unfortunately, the rest of Ward’s big league career consisted of only 2 2/3 innings for the 1995 Blue Jays. Biceps tendinitis and a torn rotator cuff (plus the players’ strike) kept Ward from pitching at all in 1994, and the injuries prematurely ended his career. Ward pitched in eight minor league games for the Cubs in 1996, but that was it for his career at age 32.
Ward finished his career with a 3.28 ERA over 462 games and 666 2/3 innings pitched. The counting numbers include 121 saves and 679 strikeouts, with the latter translating to a 24.4% strikeout rate. Ward was also exceptional at keeping the ball in the park, as he allowed only 32 home runs over his career.
We at MLB Trade Rumors send our condolences to Ward’s family, friends, and fans.
Dude was an absolute monster for a time.
He was one you hooked your wagon up to after Henke left. I just remember those closers back in the day as fearful for hitters. That time of baseball was my favorite.
yes he was rip
WHAT! I have a ton of his baseball cards. That is super sad
Same here. Seemed like you couldn’t open a pack of cards without getting one of his between 1992-’94.
R.I.P Duane
RIP Duane…..
What a fantastic high leverage bullpen horse for so many years… All the best to his family.
I watched that ceremony yesterday before the game, 62 years old.
Ward was electric in ’92. This is sad. RIP, sir. You will be missed.
Every time I read this stuff I think about the 80s and 90 when players had to pump garbage into their system in order to compete and wonder if this had anything to do with their death.
It took an act of Congress to implement drug testing.
When the next labor negotiation pops up, just remember, it’s all about money, control and power. And there are many casualties. Fans and players alike.
To be honest, I really don’t care about the owners welfare, but that doesn’t mean they are always the bad guys.
What does any of this have to do with the death of a very fine relief pitcher?
You don’t know? It’s estimated at least 50% of players took illegal drugs back then, probably a low estimate, and it took an act of Congress to slow it down. The odds that this didn’t cause deaths is zero.
When a player dies in their early 60s, I can’t help but wonder if that death was preventable if the player’s union gave a flying leap about their members. All you have to do is watch Fehr in that Congressional meeting to realize they didn’t.
A player’s obit is not the best forum to editorialize about such stuff. Read the room.
Some of us are sympathetic to what players of his era went through and the effects on their health.
COD is natural causes
D Kyle was 33 and nothing was found
Sometimes people just die. Let it go.
Rip
Exactly. Those were the times.
MLB players are no longer players; they are assets and commodities. That is why starting pitchers no longer go beyond 5 IP or 100 pitches. That’s why a muscle tweak lands a player on the IL for 10 days.
Matthew Berry was prescient. His “no hustle” mantra makes perfect sense today. When you’re paying someone a half billion to produce they can’t get hurt.
Mickey Mantle, Babe Ruth, Roger Maris were all hopeless alcoholics. Just imagine how different their careers may have been if they weren’t always wasted and out of shape. Illicit street drugs, performance enhancing (dehancing) drugs, booze, tobacco are a part of the human condition, we will never eradicate them from sports. Sorry for the tangent, rest in peace mighty high leverage reliever Duane Ward.
First time I’ve heard Maris was an alcoholic. Sure about that? Mixed up with Billy Martin?
If not he was the only one on Yankees not doing so. Some even smoked in dugout
It’s money/control/power and that’s not just in regards to the game….Thank Jesus for Jesus!!
Rest in Paradise Mr. Ward 🌹
To me Ward was under appreciated for how dominant and efficient he was. Tons of strikeouts, very few homers allowed, solid control. For how often he was around the plate, it seemed like no one ever hit the ball hard off of him. And he wasn’t a one-inning max guy either. R.I.P.
I remember him when he was a Braves rookie and was annoyed when they traded him. How many guys from HS in New Mexico at the time made it to the majors let alone become a quality P. They used to say when he was a prospect that he had juice with movement. Maybe the excitement of the festivities contributed to this. Very sad to hear about his passing especially at a relatively young age.
It’s funny how things go…I remember being disappointed that the Jays traded a proven veteran starter in Doyle Alexander for a “No name” rookie in Duane Ward but that deal sure looked good within a couple of years once Ward settled in!! RIP Mr Ward ⚾️
He was one heck of a pitcher. Too bad injuries cut his career short.
Wow. So young. Seems like he was just pitching yesterday.
Definitely a good pitcher. I remember him well.
RIP. Condolences to his family and friends in this difficult time.
What I remember about this guy is he was consistent and always available to the Blue Jays. Remarkable run out of the Jays pen. Hope he was right with The Lord.
Rest in paradise 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Excellent reliever who indirectly brought the Braves a Hall of Famer. After Doyle Alexander was traded for Duane, he was moved to the Tigers for John Smoltz.
One of the nastiest curveballs
I met Duane, Tom Henke and Mike Flanagan at the Skydome years ago. They were sitting together at a table and each kindly signed a jersey for me. Sadly Mike and now Duane have passed away. Condolences to his friends and family.
After the back to back titles the Jays had a few holes to fill, and Ward’s arm trouble was a massive blow to the team. In a way, the Jays could never truly replace him. He was an outstanding Blue Jay during and after his playing days. RIP.
RIP. I remember Ward from the ’92 World Series and I’m also positive I still have a bunch of his baseball cards.
RIP Ward. Those were some great Toronto teams in the early 90’s. Mahalo
Great pitcher. Responsible for 3 wins and 2 saves in the Blue Jays 2 WS over 92 and 93. Pretty impressive.
On another note, Doyle Alexander has to be GOAT of trade links: Ward, Smoltz, Frank Robinson, Dempsey and Tippy Martinez.
rip
RIP
Very sad news.
He was about a month older then I am.
Gone too soon.
Godspeed Duane
How tragic he died when visiting! My sympathies to his family, teammates and fans!
To MARK POLISHUK & AJ EUSTACE:
As a former newspaper reporter, anytime you write an Obituary YOU MUST INCLUDE THE DECEASED AGE!
Also, you should give whatever info is known about the person’s cause of death, especially when the deceased is as young as Ward was at 62 years of age. And if the cause of death isn’t known yet, say that!
It’s also tradition to say whether the deceased had a surviving spouse and any children. Have you folks never written or read an Obit before?
They are informing us of his death, not writing his obituary. Chill out.
Can’t understand why it’s important public information whether or not someone was married or had kids.
Maybe back in the days, but not now.
I wondered why he wasn’t sitting next to Henke in the truck for the ceremony. Seeing Henke sitting with somebody else, and seeing Turner Ward, had me wondering about Duane. It caused me to google what he’s been up to lately, and to see google’s laughably confused AI result that insisted the former Blue Jays pitcher had become a motivational speaker in Nashville with a completely different face who happens to have the same name. The proper Duane Ward did a little broadcasting for the Jays about a decade ago but no news since.
It’s a shame whatever killed him couldn’t wait a day to give him that one last bow with his teammates in front of his fans. Would’ve at least been a poetic exit.
I was lucky enough to have met both Duane Ward & Tom Henke after a Blue Jays game in Toronto. They were such kind wonderful gentlemen who took the time to answer questions & sign autographs. I am truely saddened to hear of Duane’s passing, may he rest in peace. My condolences to the family.
We here in Farmington NM salute Duane Ward and may he R.I.P. He was raised here and was also a basketball star. 1982 he led the state in scoring 27.7 avg. and Farmington went 26-0 with the State title. Played in the Connie Mack World Series held here and then became the star player we all respected. 62 is way too young, condolences to his family and the Blue Jays.
I knew his cousin. Or something.
Didn’t get along with him. At all.
Ward didn’t exist. Then he existed. Now he doesn’t exist again.
Make the most of brief time you exist
I saw Ward pitch a lot of innings and he really was great. When the Jays had a lead heading into the 7th inning, you were usually pretty confident they were gonna pull out the win.
Did the early Mariano Rivera role before Henke moved on. RIP.