Garret Anderson, a three-time Major League Baseball All-Star, has died at the age of 53, the Los Angeles Angels confirmed.
“We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Angels Hall of Famer Garret Anderson,” the team posted via social media on Friday, April 17. “Garret will forever hold a special place in the hearts of Angels fans for his professionalism, class, and loyalty throughout his career and beyond.”
The team added, “We extend our heartfelt condolences to the entire Anderson family.”
Anderson died after suffering a “medical emergency” at his home in Newport Beach, California, on Thursday, April 16, according to TMZ. No other details about his death are currently known.
A two-time Silver Slugger, Anderson played almost the entirety of his career with the Angels organization. He holds the franchise records for games played, at bats, hits, runs, RBIs, total bases, extra base hits, singles, doubles and grand slams.
Anderson was selected to three All-Star teams and was a major part of the Angels winning the World Series in 2002.
“The Angels organization is mourning the loss of one of our franchise’s most beloved icons, Garret Anderson,” Angels owner Arte Moreno said in a statement. “Garret was a cornerstone of our organization throughout his 15 seasons and his stoic presence in the outfield and our clubhouse elevated the Angels into an era of continued success, highlighted by the 2002 World Series championship.”
Garret is survived by his wife, Teresa, his daughters, Brianne and Bailey, and his son, Garret ‘Trey’ Anderson III.
The Angels announced they will honor Garret for the remainder of the season by wearing a patch on their jerseys, beginning with Friday’s home game against the San Diego Padres. A moment of silence will also be held prior to the game.
When he was inducted into the Angels Hall of Fame in 2016, Garret reflected on the importance of being “a good teammate.”
“Being a good teammate goes a long way with a lot of people,” he said. “If you go out and respect your teammates and pull for ‘em and give ‘em tough love when you have to, it goes a long way. … So that was the biggest compliment for me, people saying I was a good teammate.”
After brief stints with the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers, Garret retired from baseball in 2011. In a statement at the time, Garret thanked “all the managers and coaches, both in the minor and big leagues, and players that had a hand in my success.”
