Ward, star reliever on Jays' WS teams, dies at 62
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- Duane Ward died of natural causes in Toronto at age 62, the Blue Jays announced Sunday, declining further comment on the circumstances.
- Ward arrived in Toronto on Friday but was absent from Saturday's unveiling of a statue commemorating the 1992 and 1993 championship teams, where more than two dozen players, coaches, and executives gathered.
- Ward ranks second in Blue Jays franchise history with 452 pitching appearances and 121 saves, after being traded from Atlanta to Toronto in 1986.
- Ward emerged as a premier reliever in 1991 with a 2.77 ERA, 23 saves, and a major league-leading 81 appearances, then posted a 1.95 ERA as Toronto's setup man during their 1992 title run.
- Ward converted to All-Star closer in 1993, posting a 2.13 ERA and an American League-leading 45 saves — still Toronto's single-season record — and went 3-0 with a 1.13 ERA across 19 postseason appearances.
- Ward earned the win in Game 6 of the 1993 World Series, the game decided by Joe Carter's walk-off home run against the Philadelphia Phillies, before a 1994 arm injury cut short his career after just four appearances in 1995.
- The Blue Jays held a scoreboard tribute and moment of silence for Ward before Sunday's game against the Chicago White Sox, calling him 'a cherished part of the Blue Jays family.'
Why it matters: Ward was a defining figure in the only sustained championship run in Blue Jays history, and the timing of his death — arriving for the statue unveiling of those very teams but dying before the ceremony — adds a layer of poignancy for the franchise and its fan base still waiting on another title.
