The Atlanta Braves are fighting for a first-place finish in the National League East Division after the All-Star break, but the organization and the broader baseball world paused this weekend to remember one of the hardest-throwing pitchers to come through the franchise.
Former Braves pitcher Duane Ward, who later became an All-Star and a key reliever on two World Series championship teams with the Toronto Blue Jays, died at age 62 while in Toronto for a reunion celebration honoring the 1992 and 1993 title teams.
Atlanta Braves Former Top Draft Pick Became Toronto Blue Jays Legend
Ward’s passing was confirmed by the Blue Jays on Sunday.
“It is with profound sadness that the Blue Jays mourn the passing of pitcher Duane Ward,” the team announced, per Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet. “Duane arrived in Toronto on Friday alongside his 1992 and 1993 teammates but was absent from Saturday’s ceremony… He passed away in Toronto of natural causes.”
Long before he became one of baseball’s elite relievers, Ward began his professional career with Atlanta and long-time Braves fans might remember him as a promising prospect or as a key piece in a pivotal trade for the franchise.
“Ward made the big-league roster and started the 1986 season with Atlanta,” John Kennedy noted for the Society For American Baseball Research. “Ward was 0-1 record with a 7.31 ERA in 16 innings pitched before being optioned to Richmond in early June. A month later, on July 6, the 22-year-old Ward was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays for right-handed pitcher Doyle Alexander.”
Alexander was later flipped to the Detroit Tigers in a deal that brought future Hall of Famer John Smoltz to Atlanta, while Ward developed into a dominant late-inning weapon in Toronto.
“I always joke about it because three or four months later the Detroit Tigers traded, straight-up, John Smoltz for Alexander,” Ward would later say, per Kennedy. “So, every time I run into John I say, ‘You know what, in a roundabout way, I was traded for you.’”
Former Atlanta Braves Castoff’s All-Star Career Included 2 World Series Titles
Ward was selected ninth overall by the Braves in the 1982 MLB Draft and debuted in the majors in 1986 before finding his footing after the trade to Toronto. Ward evolved into one of the hardest throwers of his era, once led the American League in saves and eventually earned an All-Star selection in 1993.
He played a crucial role in back-to-back World Series championships in 1992 and 1993, frequently handling high-leverage innings before eventually succeeding Tom Henke as Toronto’s closer.
Ward finished his MLB career with 121 saves, a 3.28 ERA and two championship rings, but his impact extended beyond statistics. He remained closely tied to the Blue Jays organization and was celebrated as one of the most important relievers in franchise history.
For Braves fans, Ward’s passing is also a reminder of one of baseball’s fascinating what-if stories — a first-round draft pick who made only a brief stop in Atlanta before helping shape championship teams elsewhere and leaving a lasting legacy across two franchises.