Former World Series Champion Dies At 57, Becomes 6th Ex-Phillies Player To Die Of Brain Cancer: Report

David West, a former pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies, has died after a battle with brain cancer. He was 57.

West’s passing was confirmed by the Phillies Saturday.

“The Phillies, along with the rest of the baseball community, grieve the passing of former pitcher David West. West, who pitched for the Phillies for four years, including the 1993 pennant-winning season, was known as an incredibly generous teammate and friend with an unmatched sense of humor. Our thoughts are with David’s family, friends and everyone whose life he touched,” read an official statement from the Phillies, via Phillies Nation.

West was the fourth-round pick of the New York Mets in the 1993 MLB Draft. He pitched two seasons with the Mets before moving to the Minnesota Twins (1989 to 1992) and the Phillies (1993 to 1996).

“It’s sad,” Phillies manager Joe Girardi told the Philadelphia Inquirer. “Obviously I remember competing against him when he was on those important teams in the early 1990s for the Phillies. It’s really sad. You see too many people go too young. It’s hard.”

West was diagnosed with brain cancer in May 2021. He is the sixth former Phillies player to die of the illness since 2003, according to the outlet. The others were Ken Brett (2003), Tug McGraw (2004), Johnny Oates (2004), John Vukovich (2007) and Darren Daulton (2017).

A former teammate, Ruben Amaro Jr., also broke the news of West’s passing via Twitter.

“[I] was just informed from L.A. that our dear friend and teammate, David West, has lost his battle with cancer. May God bless him and his family as he moves on to a better place... We will miss you dearly, Westay. May your sweet soul rest in peace,” Amaro’s tweet read.

West was part of the Minnesota Twins team that won the World Series in 1991. He was then traded to the Phillies in December 1992 and figured prominently for Philadelphia.

This includes his pivotal role for the 1993 Phillies team that advanced to the World Series. He made 76 appearances and pitched to a 2.92 ERA with a 6-4 record and three saves in the regular season that year.

Against the Atlanta Braves, the Tennessee native pitched a 1-2-3 eighth inning in a series-clinching victory in Game 6 of the 1993 National League Championship Series.

After his time with the Phillies, West had a brief stint with the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks in 1997. He wrapped up his MLB career with the Boston Red Sox in 1998.