Blue Jays' 2-Time World Series Champion Duane Ward Passes Away

July 19, 2026
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The Toronto Blue Jays have lost one of their iconic players from the back-to-back World Series championships of 1992-1993. The team has announced that closer Duane Ward has passed away at the age of 62. The Jays' announcement said that Ward passed away of natural causes in Toronto. He was in the city on Friday along with many of his teammates from those early '90s World Series championship teams for celebrations at Rogers Centre. 

Ward was with the team for 10 seasons from 1986 to 1995. He racked up 121 saves, acting as a dominant setup man for the '92 title, and the closer for the '93 team.

He finished his career with a 3.28 ERA, 679 strikeouts and 286 walks. He was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 2020.

"Duane will be deeply missed by our fans, and we extend our heartfelt condolences to his family," the team said in a statement. "Duane will always be a cherished part of the Blue Jays family, and we will be forever grateful for his contributions to our organization and to baseball in Canada."

RIP Duane Ward.
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