Ex-MLBer ripped for sharing health info about ex-teammate

Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Former World Series MVP facing backlash after sharing private health information about ex-Red Sox teammate

By Victor Barbosa | Last updated 9/28/23

Former World Series MVP and Boston Red Sox ace Curt Schilling has come under fire again, this time for sharing private health information about a former teammate.

The 56-year-old revealed Wednesday on his podcast "The Curt Schilling Baseball Show," that longtime Red Sox fan favorite Tim Wakefield was recently diagnosed with a "very serious, very aggressive form of brain cancer," while his wife, Stacy Wakefield, is battling pancreatic cancer.

"This is not a message that Tim has asked anyone to share, and I don't even know if he wants it shared," Schilling said on the podcast, before sharing the news.

The Red Sox released a statement on the matter early Thursday afternoon and in addition to scores of thoughts and prayers for "Wake" out of Red Sox Nation and beyond, there was plenty of criticism directed at Schilling. Among those who took to social media to call out the six-time All-Star were Catherine Varitek (the wife of former Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek) and former MLS star Taylor Twellman.

This is NOT your place @gehrig38. It wasn’t your news to share. BS
— Taylor Twellman (@TaylorTwellman) September 28, 2023

Curt Schilling is an abhorrent individual https://t.co/kSHmQrbUGS
— Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) September 28, 2023

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

Wakefield was selected in the eighth round of the 1988 MLB June Amateur Draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates and spent two years with the Bucs in 1992 and 1993. The 57-year-old signed with the Red Sox in April 1995, where he'd spend the rest of his career.

The knuckleballer finished third in the AL Cy Young voting during his first season in Beantown and went a career-best 17-8 in 1998.

Wakefield and Schilling spent four seasons as teammates with the Red Sox from 2004-07, winning two World Series titles. Schilling retired following the 2007 championship season, while Wakefield hung up his cleats after the 2011 campaign.

Wakefield made his lone All-Star team in 2009 and won the 2010 Roberto Clemente Award — given to honor a player for combining "good play with strong work in the community" — during his penultimate MLB season.

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