1. Early Life and Amateur Career
Duane Ward's early life and athletic development took place in Farmington, New Mexico, a city notable for its amateur baseball programs.
1.1. Birth and Childhood
Roy Duane Ward was born on May 28, 1964. He hails from Park View, New Mexico in Rio Arriba County. Since 1988, Ward has resided in Las Vegas, Nevada.
1.2. Amateur Baseball
Ward honed his athletic skills in Farmington, New Mexico, thriving in the baseball leagues sponsored by the American Amateur Baseball Congress. He graduated from Farmington High School, where he played for the Scorpions. During his amateur career, Ward also distinguished himself in the Connie Mack World Series, a prestigious baseball tournament for players aged 18 and under, which has been consistently hosted in Farmington since 1965.
2. Professional Baseball Career
Duane Ward embarked on his professional baseball career as a hard-throwing pitcher, making his mark as a right-handed pitcher and batter.
2.1. Draft and Early Major League Years
Ward was selected as the ninth pick overall in the first round of the 1982 Major League Baseball draft by the Atlanta Braves. This made him, along with Jim Kremmel (1971), tied for the second-highest draft pick from New Mexico, trailing only Alex Bregman, who was chosen second overall in the 2015 MLB draft.
Ward made his major league debut on April 12, 1986. After an initial period with limited success with the Braves, he was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays on July 6 for pitcher Doyle Alexander.
2.2. Toronto Blue Jays Years
Ward became a cornerstone of the Toronto Blue Jays' bullpen, evolving from a reliable setup man to a dominant closer.
2.2.1. Setup Man Role
Beginning in 1988, Ward emerged as one of the Blue Jays' most dependable middle and late-inning relievers. He maintained this crucial role through the 1992 season, contributing significantly to the Blue Jays' first World Series championship. In 1991, Ward led the American League with 81 appearances, recording 23 saves and 132 strikeouts in 107.1 innings. His effective pitching repertoire consisted of a lively fastball, which typically clocked in the mid-90s mph, and a sharp, hard slider.
2.2.2. Closer Role and Peak Performance
In 1993, after years of pitching in the shadow of Tom Henke, Ward successfully transitioned into the team's closer role. During that regular season, Ward set a new Toronto Blue Jays' single-season record for saves with 45. He shared the American League lead in saves with Jeff Montgomery of the Kansas City Royals. Ward was also selected as the closer for the American League team in the 1993 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, pitching in their 9-3 victory.
Ward reached the pinnacle of his career in 1993, playing a pivotal role in the Blue Jays' repeat as World Series Champions. In the 1993 World Series, he earned two saves against the Philadelphia Phillies. His first save came in Game 1, an 8-5 victory in Toronto. He secured his second save in the thrilling Game 4 in Philadelphia, a wild 15-14 Blue Jays victory, where Ward recorded the final four outs after Toronto mounted a six-run comeback. Furthermore, Ward was the winning pitcher in the decisive Game 6, which concluded with Joe Carter's iconic walk-off home run after Ward's relief appearance.
2.3. Post-Peak and Retirement
Following his career peak in 1993, the remainder of Ward's playing career was severely affected by injuries. He would not record another major league save after that season. He missed the entire 1994 season due to biceps tendinitis. Ward attempted a comeback in 1995 but pitched in only four games before ultimately retiring from the Toronto Blue Jays at the end of the season. He concluded his major league career with a 3.28 ERA and 121 saves.
3. Career Statistics and Achievements
Duane Ward's professional career was marked by significant individual achievements and consistent statistical performance, particularly during his peak years with the Toronto Blue Jays.
3.1. Major Titles and Records
- American League Saves Leader: 1 time (1993, tied with Jeff Montgomery)
- MLB All-Star Game Selection: 1 time (1993)
3.2. Overall Career Performance
Ward played for nine seasons in Major League Baseball, primarily as a reliever. His career statistics are summarized in the table below:
| Year | Team | G | GS | CG | SHO | GF | W | L | SV | HLD | W-L% | BF | IP | H | HR | BB | IBB | HBP | SO | WP | BK | R | ER | ERA | WHIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | ATL | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 73 | 16.0 | 22 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 13 | 13 | 7.31 | 1.88 |
| 1986 | TOR | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 15 | 2.0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 13.50 | 3.50 |
| 1987 | TOR | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1.000 | 57 | 11.2 | 14 | 0 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 6.94 | 2.23 |
| 1988 | TOR | 64 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 3 | 15 | 9 | .750 | 487 | 111.2 | 101 | 5 | 60 | 8 | 5 | 91 | 10 | 3 | 46 | 41 | 3.30 | 1.44 |
| 1989 | TOR | 66 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 10 | 15 | 5 | .286 | 494 | 114.2 | 94 | 4 | 58 | 11 | 5 | 122 | 13 | 0 | 55 | 48 | 3.77 | 1.33 |
| 1990 | TOR | 73 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 11 | 11 | .200 | 508 | 127.2 | 101 | 9 | 42 | 10 | 1 | 112 | 5 | 0 | 51 | 49 | 3.45 | 1.12 |
| 1991 | TOR | 81 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 23 | 17 | .538 | 428 | 107.1 | 80 | 3 | 33 | 3 | 2 | 132 | 6 | 0 | 36 | 33 | 2.77 | 1.05 |
| 1992 | TOR | 79 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 12 | 24 | .636 | 414 | 101.1 | 76 | 5 | 39 | 3 | 1 | 103 | 7 | 0 | 27 | 22 | 1.95 | 1.13 |
| 1993 | TOR | 71 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 45 | 0 | .400 | 282 | 71.2 | 49 | 4 | 25 | 2 | 1 | 97 | 7 | 0 | 17 | 17 | 2.13 | 1.03 |
| 1995 | TOR | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 25 | 2.2 | 11 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 8 | 27.00 | 6.00 |
| Total: 9 years | 462 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 32 | 37 | 121 | 67 | .464 | 2783 | 666.2 | 551 | 32 | 286 | 39 | 17 | 679 | 51 | 4 | 268 | 243 | 3.28 | 1.26 | |
His jersey numbers during his career were 48 (1986, part-season) and 31 (1986 part-season, 1987-1993, 1995).
4. Post-Playing Career
After retiring from professional baseball, Duane Ward remained connected to the sport through broadcasting.
4.1. Broadcasting
Since 2014, Ward has been a fixture on the Toronto Blue Jays' radio broadcasts for Sportsnet 590 The Fan. He occasionally serves as a fill-in color commentator, providing analysis alongside the regular broadcast team, including Joe Siddall.