Former Red Sox, Mets Pitcher Wes Gardner Dies at 65

Wes Gardner, a pitcher who rose from humble roots in Arkansas to play in Major League Baseball, passed away on June 10 at the age of 65, according to an announcement by former Mets vice president of public relations Jay Horwitz. Gardner played eight seasons across four MLB teams: the New York Mets (1984-85), Boston Red Sox (1986-90), San Diego Padres (1991), and Kansas City Royals (1991). He was drafted by the Mets in the 22nd round of the 1984 draft after a successful college career at the University of Central Arkansas, where he was an All-AIC selection and helped lead the Bears to two conference championships. A pivotal trade in 1984 sent Gardner, Calvin Schiraldi, and John Christensen to Boston in exchange for Bobby Ojeda, a move that set the stage for the 1986 World Series matchup between the two franchises. Gardner's best season came in 1988 with the Red Sox, when he posted an 8-6 record with a 3.50 ERA across 149 innings, helping Boston win the American League East, though he never appeared in another postseason game after the 1988 ALCS. After struggling in subsequent seasons and transitioning between starting and relief roles, Gardner was released by the Padres in May 1991 and finished his career with the Royals' Triple-A affiliate before retiring to Arkansas, where he was inducted into the University of Central Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame in 2001.