Former Chicago White Sox pitcher world champ tragically passes away at 44 years old

Chicago also released a tribute video alongside the announcement. Jenks passed after a battle with adenocarcinoma, a form of stomach cancer. He was just 44 years old.

Jenks was a fifth-round pick by the Angels in the 2000 draft but was designated for assignment by the Halos before he even made it to the big leagues.

He was claimed off the waiver wire by the White Sox and joined the big league bullpen in July of 2005.

He scuffled a bit early on, with four runs allowed across his first five appearances in the big leagues, but settled in not long after that and notched his first career save on August 25 when he closed out a ten-inning game against the Twins.

He continued in a late-inning role for those White Sox down the stretch, and finished the regular season with a 2.75 ERA, six saves, and a 29.8% strikeout rate.

Jenks's dominance carried over into the postseason with a 2.25 ERA, four saves, and eight strikeouts in eight playoff innings.

The right-hander was on the mound to finish off the club's four-game sweep of the Astros in the Fall Classic, closing out a 1-0 victory by inducing a groundout from Orlando Palmeiro to emerge from his rookie season as a World Series champion.

Jenks retired from baseball with a career 3.53 ERA, 351 strikeouts, and 173 saves despite having his career cut short after just seven seasons.

He returned to baseball as a coach in 2021, serving as pitching coach for the independent Pioneer League's Grand Junction Rockies that year.

He was promoted to manager for 2022 and later served as a coach in the Appalachian League and a manager in the Frontier League, though a cancer diagnosis he announced in February of 2025 forced him to bring his coaching career to a close.

We at Toronto Blue Jays Central and the rest of the baseball world in extending our condolences to Jenks's family, friends, loved ones, and all of those whose lives he touched during his time in the game.