Duane Ward

Roy Duane Ward (May 28, 1964 – July 18, 2026) was an American professional baseball player. A relief pitcher, he played in Major League Baseball for the Atlanta Braves and Toronto Blue Jays from 1986 to 1995.

Ward was from Farmington, New Mexico, where he played amateur baseball programs in the American Amateur Baseball Congress and Connie Mack World Series. He was drafted out of high school in the first round, ninth overall, of the 1982 draft. Ward made his MLB debut with the Braves in 1986 and was traded to the Blue Jays that year.

After emerging as one of baseball's top setup men, he was an All-Star as a closer in 1993, when he led the American League with a franchise-record 45 saves and was a member of the 1992 and 1993 World Series championship teams.

His 452 appearances and 121 saves for Toronto rank second in franchise history.

Ward was elected to the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 2020.

Early life and career Ward attended Farmington High School in Farmington, New Mexico, where he played baseball for the Scorpions. On the competitive amateur circuit, he played in the American Amateur Baseball Congress leagues and the Connie Mack World Series; his plaque hangs in the tournament's hall of fame at Ricketts Park in Farmington. Ward also helped lead the Scorpions basketball team to a 26–0 season and the state Class 4A championship in 1981–82.

The Atlanta Braves selected Ward in the first round, ninth overall, of the 1982 MLB draft, shortly after his senior season.

Primarily a starting pitcher during a four-season rise through the Braves' farm system, with stops in rookie ball and at Anderson, Durham, Greenville and Triple-A Richmond, Ward was converted to relief pitching by manager Chuck Tanner, who told him he saw "so much of Goose Gossage" in him.

Setup man Ward became one of the Jays' most dependable middle and late inning relievers after breaking into the major league bullpen in 1988, when he went 9–3 with a 3.30 ERA and 15 saves over 111⅔ innings in 64 appearances.

Closer After years of being in Henke's shadow, Ward took over the closer's role in 1993 when Henke departed for the Texas Rangers in free agency. He was tied with Jeff Montgomery of the Kansas City Royals for most saves in the American League. Ward was the closing pitcher for the American League in its 9–3 victory at the 1993 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, his only All-Star selection; he finished fifth in AL Cy Young Award voting and 22nd in MVP balloting. The Blue Jays announced on July 19 that Ward had died due to natural causes in Toronto. Shortly after the ceremony, his teammates were informed that he had died.