Curt Schilling is facing some backlash after he shared personal news about one of his former teammates.
On the latest episode of his “The Curt Schilling Baseball Show” podcast, Schilling revealed that fellow former Boston Red Sox pitcher Tim Wakefield and Wakefield’s wife Stacy are both battling cancer. Schilling admitted that Wakefield may not want the news out there, but the six-time MLB All-Star said he wanted to ask for prayers for Wakefield’s family.
Curt Schilling reveals Tim Wakefield has brain cancer pic.twitter.com/KJisFuqFyy
— RandomMagazines (@RandomMagazines) September 28, 2023
“Tim’s wife Stacy, who is one of the sweetest women you will ever meet, is very sick with pancreatic cancer,” Schilling said. “My wife has talked with her and they’re communicating and going through an incredibly difficult time with Stacy. I wanted them to know we’re obviously thinking about them and praying for her. But recently, Tim was diagnosed with a very serious and very aggressive form of brain cancer. … The situation in Tim’s case is incredibly serious. He went in and had surgery.”
Many felt that the information was not Schilling’s to share. Catherine Varitek, who is married to former Red Sox catcher and captain Jason Varitek, blasted Schilling on Thursday.
“F– you Curt Schilling, that wasn’t your place!” Catherine wrote on X (edited by LBS for profanity).
The Red Sox later issued a statement calling the health of Wakefield and his wife “a personal matter that they intended to keep private as they navigate treatment.” Peter Abraham of The Boston Globe reports that people with the team and those close to the Wakefield family are “furious.”
Curt Schilling said on his podcast the Wakefields are fighting cancer. Hard to imagine why he would do that, but he did. To say that people with the Sox and others around Tim and Stacy are furious is an understatement.
All the best to the Wakefields, who are very nice people. https://t.co/Zn2g6YGsGp
— Pete Abraham (@PeteAbe) September 28, 2023
Schilling, Wakefield and Varitek all won two World Series championships together with the Red Sox (2004 and 2007). Schilling has a reputation for saying whatever is on his mind without considering the repercussions, which is why he has fallen out of favor with the Red Sox.
