LAMAMIMET

Roy Duane Ward was born on May 28, 1964, and became one of the most reliable relief pitchers in Major League Baseball during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the first round of the 1982 MLB Draft out of Farmington High School in New Mexico, he made his major league debut in 1986 before being traded to the Toronto Blue Jays midway through that season, where he found his home and built his legacy.

Ward spent nine seasons with the Blue Jays and became a cornerstone of their championship teams. His finest season came in 1993 when he led the American League with 45 saves, posted a 2.13 ERA across 71 games, and earned an All-Star selection. He played a crucial role in both the 1992 and 1993 World Series victories, owning a 1.13 ERA in postseason play and earning the win in the decisive Game 6 of the 1993 World Series when Joe Carter hit his famous walk-off home run.

After arm injuries forced him to miss the entire 1994 season, Ward pitched just four games in 1995 before retiring. He finished his career with a 3.28 ERA and 121 saves over 462 games. Ward was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 2020 and later worked as a broadcaster for Blue Jays radio broadcasts on Sportsnet 590 The Fan. He died of natural causes in Toronto on July 19, 2026, at age 62, while attending a statue unveiling commemorating the Blue Jays' back-to-back World Series championships.