Mariners hurler throws knuckleball to honor Tim Wakefield
On Sunday, Red Sox Nation and the baseball world lost Tim Wakefield. The former Red Sox pitcher died from cancer at the age of 57.
Even as this is being written, it’s hard to fathom such a staple amongst the Red Sox is now gone.
As the fans, friends and the media began to remember Wakefield on Sunday, Mariners righty by George Kirby payed homage to him by tossing a knuckleball in the fourth inning against the Rangers.
Kirby had teased during spring training that he had a knuckleball in his pitching arsenal. He threw a 73.2 first-pitch dancing knuckleball for a swinging strike.
“I told you guys I always had it in the back pocket, and it was a great day to throw it,” Kirby said to the media.
Following the game, he told reporters that it was in honor of Wakefield.
Kirby tossed six innings of scoreless baseball with seven strikeouts in the Mariners’ 1-0 win over the Texas Rangers.
Wakefield spent 17 of his 19 professional seasons with Boston. He was a massive part of the 2004 World Series championship team that broke the 86-year curse.
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