Former MLB closer Bobby Jenks has died at age 44 following a battle with stomach cancer.
The Chicago White Sox announced Jenks’ death on Saturday. The team said he passed away on July 4 in Sintra, Portugal.
Former Chicago White Sox All-Star pitcher and 2005 World Series Champion Bobby Jenks passed away yesterday, July 4, in Sintra, Portugal, where he had been battling adenocarcinoma, a form of stomach cancer. He was 44 years old. pic.twitter.com/KDb3I0KL66
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) July 5, 2025
Jenks went public with his diagnosis in February, when he revealed he was suffering from Stage 4 adenocarcinoma and was undergoing treatment in Portugal. At that time, the former White Sox closer admitted that his prognosis was poor, but that he intended to fight as much as he could.
A more recent update on Jenks suggested that his condition remained poor, and that he was struggling to cover the medical expenses related to his treatment.
Jenks became a fan favorite during his time with the White Sox. He debuted in 2005 and became the closer on a World Series team. Eventually, he made two All-Star appearances while with Chicago in 2006 and 2007. He finished his career in 2011 with the Boston Red Sox and was out of the league before turning 31. He also had some off-field struggles after his career ended.
The White Sox are slated to honor the 20th anniversary of their 2005 World Series championship team, of which Jenks was a part, from July 11-13.
In 348 career games, Jenks posted a 3.53 ERA and collected 173 saves.
