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Wes Gardner, who pitched parts of eight seasons in MLB for four different teams, died June 10. He was 65.
Longtime Mets public relations man Jay Horwitz reported Gardner’s death on his X account.
A right-hander who started and relieved, Gardner spent his big league career with the New York Mets (1984-85), Boston Red Sox (1986-90), San Diego Padres (1991) and Kansas City Royals (1991).
MORE: Pitcher for Red Sox World Series team dies at 76
Originally a 22nd-round draft pick out of Central Arkansas by the Mets in 1982, Gardner debuted in Queens two years later. He appeared in 30 games for the Mets across the 1984 and 1985 seasons, going 1-3 with a 6.03 ERA.
The Mets traded Gardner to the Red Sox on Nov. 13, 1985 along with John Christensen, Calvin Schiraldi and La Schelle Tarver for Bob Ojeda, Tom McCarthy, John Mitchell and Chris Bayer. The eight-player deal set the two franchises on a collision course for the 1986 World Series, which the Red Sox won in a seven-game thriller.
Gardner did not pitch in the postseason, however. After throwing one inning against the Chicago White Sox in April 1986, Gardner was placed on the disabled list with a sore shoulder — an injury that ended his season.
MORE: Braves, Blue Jays Hall of Fame Manager Dies at 84
From 1987-90, Gardner became a mainstay on the Red Sox’s pitching staff. After filling in as a closer in 1987 and racking up 10 saves, Gardner transitioned to the starting rotation in 1988 and put together his best season: 8-6 with a 3.50 ERA across a career-high 149 innings.
Gardner got into one game in the 1988 American League Championship Series, in which the Oakland A’s swept the Red Sox in four games. He inherited a 6-5 deficit in the third inning of Game 3, and allowed three runs out of the bullpen.
Gardner struggled as a starter in 1989 (3-7, 5.97 ERA) and worked mostly out of the bullpen in 1990 (3-7, 4.89 ERA). In December 1990, he was traded again, this time to the Padres for a pair of minor leaguers.
MORE: Three-time MLB All-Star, World Series champion, dies
Gardner’s time in San Diego was limited to 14 appearances out of the bullpen before he was released in May 1991 with a 7.08 ERA.
A brief cup of coffee with Kansas City followed; he appeared in only three games for the Royals and spent most of his time with their Omaha affiliate before retiring to his native Arkansas.
In 2001, Gardner was inducted into the University of Central Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame.
Continue reading...
Longtime Mets public relations man Jay Horwitz reported Gardner’s death on his X account.
A right-hander who started and relieved, Gardner spent his big league career with the New York Mets (1984-85), Boston Red Sox (1986-90), San Diego Padres (1991) and Kansas City Royals (1991).
MORE: Pitcher for Red Sox World Series team dies at 76
Originally a 22nd-round draft pick out of Central Arkansas by the Mets in 1982, Gardner debuted in Queens two years later. He appeared in 30 games for the Mets across the 1984 and 1985 seasons, going 1-3 with a 6.03 ERA.
The Mets traded Gardner to the Red Sox on Nov. 13, 1985 along with John Christensen, Calvin Schiraldi and La Schelle Tarver for Bob Ojeda, Tom McCarthy, John Mitchell and Chris Bayer. The eight-player deal set the two franchises on a collision course for the 1986 World Series, which the Red Sox won in a seven-game thriller.
Gardner did not pitch in the postseason, however. After throwing one inning against the Chicago White Sox in April 1986, Gardner was placed on the disabled list with a sore shoulder — an injury that ended his season.
MORE: Braves, Blue Jays Hall of Fame Manager Dies at 84
From 1987-90, Gardner became a mainstay on the Red Sox’s pitching staff. After filling in as a closer in 1987 and racking up 10 saves, Gardner transitioned to the starting rotation in 1988 and put together his best season: 8-6 with a 3.50 ERA across a career-high 149 innings.
Gardner got into one game in the 1988 American League Championship Series, in which the Oakland A’s swept the Red Sox in four games. He inherited a 6-5 deficit in the third inning of Game 3, and allowed three runs out of the bullpen.
Gardner struggled as a starter in 1989 (3-7, 5.97 ERA) and worked mostly out of the bullpen in 1990 (3-7, 4.89 ERA). In December 1990, he was traded again, this time to the Padres for a pair of minor leaguers.
MORE: Three-time MLB All-Star, World Series champion, dies
Gardner’s time in San Diego was limited to 14 appearances out of the bullpen before he was released in May 1991 with a 7.08 ERA.
A brief cup of coffee with Kansas City followed; he appeared in only three games for the Royals and spent most of his time with their Omaha affiliate before retiring to his native Arkansas.
In 2001, Gardner was inducted into the University of Central Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame.
Continue reading...
