Chicago White Sox World Series Champion Bobby Jenks Dies At 44

Jenks pitched for the White Sox from 2005-10 before finishing his career with the Boston Red Sox in 2011. The 6-foot-4 right-hander was an American League All-Star in 2006 and 2007, when he totaled back-to-back 40-save seasons, becoming at that time the second-youngest pitcher in MLB history to do so.

He closed out Game 4 of the 2005 World Series, recording the final three outs to secure the save in a 1-0 series-clinching victory. He appeared in six games and had five scoreless outings during the 2005 playoff run.

During his White Sox career, Jenks made 329 appearances out of the bullpen and saved 173 games, good for 76th in MLB history. Across 341.2 innings with the White Sox, he had a 3.40 ERA, a 1.20 WHIP and 334 strikeouts. He posted an ERA of 2.77 or lower in three of his first four seasons in the major leagues. Among relievers in White sox franchise history, he ranks second in saves, sixth in appearances and seventh in strikeouts.

“You play for the love of the game, the joy of it,” Jenks said during his last interview with SoxTV in summer 2024. “It’s what I love to do. I’m playing to be a world champion and that’s what I wanted to do from the time I picked up a baseball.”

Originally a fifth-round pick in 2000 by the Anaheim Angels, the White Sox claimed Jenks off waivers in 2004. In 2024, he was the manager of the independent league Windy City Thunderbolts in Crestwood, Ill.