Former Blue Jays Pitcher Brian Wolfe Dies at 45 After ‘Tortuous Battle,’ Wife Says
Former Blue Jays Pitcher Brian Wolfe Dies at 45 After ‘Tortuous Battle,’ Wife Says
Anna Lazarus CaplanThu, September 17, 2026 at 5:40 PM UTC
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Brian WolfeCredit: Ezra Shaw/Getty -
Former MLB pitcher Brian Wolfe has died at the age of 45.
Wolfe was a reliever for the Toronto Blue Jays from 2007-2009.
The right-hander went on to play for several teams in Japan.
Former Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Brian Wolfe has died, his wife confirmed on Wednesday, Sept. 16. Wolfe was 45.
“I’m am sorry to write this but after a really really difficult and torturous battle Brian Wolfe passed away early this morning,” Rachell Wolfe wrote in a post on Facebook.
Wolfe’s former team also shared the news Wednesday that he had passed away.
“We are saddened to learn of the passing of former Blue Jay, Brian Wolfe,” the Blue Jays shared in a statement on Instagram. “Our thoughts are with his loved ones during this difficult time 💙.”
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Wolfe’s cause of death was not immediately known.
A Fullerton, Calif., native, Wolfe was selected by the Minnesota Twins in the sixth round of the 1999 MLB Draft. The pitcher played on the team’s minor league affiliates until he was released in May 2005.
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Brian WolfeCredit: Ronald Martinez/Getty
In 2006, he was traded to the Blue Jays, where he split the season between Advanced-A Dunedin and Double-A New Hampshire.
A year later, on May 30, 2007, he was called up to the majors and made his professional debut as a reliever against the New York Yankees.
The game was notable for another reason. Yankees star Alex Rodriguez distracted Blue Jays third baseman Howie Clark by shouting at him on a key pop-up during the ninth inning, which spawned a near-fight after the infielder dropped the ball and a run scored. Wolfe was charged with the run, and the Jays lost the game, 10-5.
“I just said, ‘Hah!’ That’s it,” Rodriguez said at the time. “Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.”
Wolfe was sent back to the minors in 2009, but refused the assignment. He went on to play pro ball in Japan for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks and the Seibu Lions.
On Wednesday, former MLB outfielder Brandon Barnes posted an emotional tribute to Wolfe on Facebook.
“Life is too short,” Barnes, a longtime friend of Wolfe’s, said in a video. “I know everybody says that, but I just lost one of my best friends and a mentor. Eventually, there’ll be a last conversation with somebody you love.”
on People
Source: “AOL Breaking”
