Mike Greenwell, ex-Red Sox OF and 2-time All-Star, dies at 62 - ESPN

BOSTON — Mike Greenwell, an outfielder who played 12 seasons with the Boston Red Sox and finished second in the 1988 American League MVP voting, died Thursday, his wife said. He was 62.

The Boston Globe reported in mid-August that Greenwell had medullary thyroid cancer. Tracy Greenwell told WINK, a radio station in Lee County, Florida, that her husband died in Boston.

«With a heavy heart, I lost my best friend today,» Tracy Greenwell wrote on social media. «It was Mike's time to be an angel. At 10:30 a.m. in Boston's General Hospital. We are forever grateful for the life he has given us.»

Lee County Manager Bruce Harner also announced Greenwell's death on the county government's social media account. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Greenwell to the county commission in 2022, and he was reelected to the post in 2024.

«It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Commissioner Mike Greenwell, a lifelong Lee County resident,» the post read. «He was a strong advocate for the people and businesses of Lee County and will be remembered for seeking meaningful solutions to the challenges his community faced. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and all who were touched by his leadership.»

«The Gator» was better known for his baseball exploits than his political career.

Born in Louisville, Kentucky, Greenwell spent most of his childhood in Florida and played baseball and football at North Fort Myers High School.

Greenwell played his entire major league career for Boston, making two All-Star appearances, winning the 1988 Silver Slugger Award and finishing second in that year's MVP voting to Oakland Athletics outfielder Jose Canseco. Greenwell was inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2008.

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