Bobby Jenks, a member of the 2005 Chicago White Sox World Series championship team, died after a battle with Stage 4 adenocarcinoma, a form of stomach cancer, on Friday, July 4 in Sintra, Portugal.
Jenks, a flame-throwing reliever who appeared in the 2006 and 2007 All-Star Games, was 44 years old.
“We have lost an iconic member of the White Sox family today,” said White Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf. “None of us will ever forget that ninth inning of Game 4 in Houston, all that Bobby did for the 2005 World Series champions and for the entire Sox organization during his time in Chicago. He and his family knew cancer would be his toughest battle, and he will be missed as a husband, father, friend and teammate. He will forever hold a special place in all our hearts.”
In just six seasons (2005-2010) with Chicago, Jenks posted 173 saves and 334 strikeouts in 341 2/3 innings pitched. He stands second in team history in saves, behind only Bobby Thigpen’s 201.
Jenks is also sixth in appearances (329) and seventh in strikeouts for White Sox relief pitchers.
Jenks was originally drafted by the Angels in 2000, but was a December 2004 waiver claim by Chicago. He was called up mid-season in 2005 and made his Major League debut on July 6. Jenks took over the closer’s role and earned six saves during the regular season, then appeared in six playoff games. He recorded saves in the series-clinching win over Boston in the ALDS and closed the door on Houston in the final game (Game 4) of the 2005 World Series.
Jenks recorded 41 saves in 2006 and 40 more in 2007, earning All-Star nods in both seasons. He tied a major league record in 2007, retiring 41 consecutive hitters. At 26 years old, he was the second-youngest reliever to record back-to-back 40-save seasons.
He left Chicago after a 27-save season in 2010 and completed his career in Boston the following year. He appeared in 19 games with the Red Sox, but did not add to his saves total.
For his career, Jenks posted a record of 16-20 with a 3.53 ERA and ranks 75th on the MLB all-time saves list.
After a long absence from professional baseball, the Mission Hills, Calif., native was hired as a pitching coach for the Grand Junction Rockies, an MLB Partner League club. He was promoted to manager in 2022 and earned the league’s Manager of the Year award as the Rockies (now Jackalopes) won the league title.
Jenks and his wife, Eleni Tzitzivacos, moved to Portugal in October 2024. Not long after they relocated, he was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis in his right calf and later dealt with multiple blood clots in his lungs. Early in 2025, he noticed that his energy level was decreasing, and after testing at a local hospital, it was discovered that a tumor had formed in his chest.
Jenks is survived by his wife, their two children, and four children from a previous marriage.
–Field Level Media
