Chicago Cubs legend Ryne Sandberg has died at the age of 65.
The Cubs announced the sad news on Monday of Sandberg’s passing. They also shared a statement from Cubs executive chairman Tom Ricketts on Sandberg’s death. Ricketts called Sandberg “one of the all-time greats in nearly 150 years of this historic franchise.”
With great sadness, we share that Ryne Sandberg has passed away today. pic.twitter.com/LJJ0jGqSy5
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) July 29, 2025
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) July 29, 2025
Sandberg first announced in Jan. 2024 that he had been diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer. A positive development then followed in August when Sandberg revealed that tests had detected no more cancer in his body following treatment.
However, Sandberg announced just a few months later that his cancer had returned. Additionally, Sandberg revealed that the cancer had spread to his other organs as well.
A righty-hitting second baseman, Sandberg played in Major League Baseball for 16 seasons from 1981-1997. 15 of those seasons came with the Cubs, and Sandberg earned 10 All-Star selections, nine Gold Glove Awards, and seven Silver Slugger Awards while in Chicago. Sandberg also was named National League MVP in 1984 and led the NL with 40 home runs in the 1990 season.
After retiring as a player, Sandberg was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2005, his third year on the ballot. He also had his No. 23 jersey retired by the Cubs later that year and briefly had a stint from 2013-15 as manager of the Philadelphia Phillies (Sandberg’s first MLB team).
