Red Sox great, two-time All-Star dies after battle with cancer
Former Boston Red Sox star Mike Greenwell has died, the organization announced on Thursday. He was 62 years old.
Greenwell had been battling thyroid cancer, according to The Boston Globe.
“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Red Sox Hall of Famer Mike Greenwell,” the Red Sox posted on X.
“‘The Gator’ spent his entire career in a Red Sox uniform and was a beloved fixture of Fenway and Fort Myers. He gave so much to Lee County and Sox Nation. We send our love to the Greenwell family.”
Mike Greenwell played Major League Baseball for 12 years, all with the Red Sox. He earned MLB All-Star honors in 1988 and 1989 and was also named a Silver Slugger Award winner in 1988.
He finished his career hitting .303 with 130 home runs and 726 RBIs.
“He was a great teammate and an even better person,” former Red Sox right-handed pitcher Bob Stanley said, according to the Associated Press. “He had big shoes to fill in left field, and he did a damn good job. He played hard and never forgot where he came from -- Fort Myers. Just a great guy. We’ll all miss him.”
After his MLB career, Greenwell transitioned to auto racing, according to the AP.
He started off competing in late-model stock cars, before transitioning to NASCAR’s Truck Series.
Later in his life, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis appointed Mike Greenwell to the Lee County Board of County Commissioners.
Dodgers, Giants Linked to Superstar Kyle Tucker in Impending Free Agency
The New York Post’s Jon Heyman believes the Los Angeles Dodgers are a primary landing spot for Chicago Cubs All-Star Kyle Tucker, who will enter free agency after the 2025 season.
Tucker has established himself as one of MLB’s premier power hitters over the last few seasons, and hasn’t posted an OPS lower than .800 since his first year with the Houston Astros, a 28-game stint in 2018.
“Hard to see the Cubs spending $300 million-plus on Kyle Tucker,” wrote Heyman.
“Great all-around player, but with Owen Caissie probably ready to go, and considering their history of avoiding the monster contract, the Dodgers, Giants and others seem more likely.”
Tucker could address perhaps the biggest hole in the Dodgers’ lineup if he were to come to LA during the offseason: left field. Michael Conforto has had the biggest share of games in left field for the Dodgers this season, however he has been left off of the postseason roster entirely after an underwhelming 2025 season.
If the Dodgers bring in Tucker, they could move him to left field from his normal post in right, or — perhaps more realistically — move Teoscar Hernandez back into left field.
Tucker has struggled with injury over the past few seasons, playing just 78 games in 2024 and battling a hairline fracture in his right hand in the weeks leading up to the All-Star break. He still put up an OPS just short of 1.000 in 2024, though, and was brilliant outside of the rough stretch in 2025 which came with his injury.
The Dodgers have a chance to play the Cubs in the upcoming NLCS, and it could serve as an audition of sorts for the slugger. He has had his struggles in the postseason so far, however his quality as a hitter is inarguable. The Cubs play the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 5 of the NLDS on Saturday, and the winner of that game will face the Dodgers in the NLCS on Monday.
