Former White Sox closer Bobby Jenks battling cancer; lost California home to wildfires
CHICAGO (CBS/AP) -- Bobby Jenks, a two-time All Star closer and member of the 2005 World Series champion White Sox, is battling stage 4 stomach cancer, and recently lost his Palisades home during the California wildfires.
Jenks, 43, shared the diagnosis of stage 4 adenocarcinoma with MLB.com, while being treated in Portugal, where his family had moved to be closer to his wife's family.
"We stand with you, Bobby Jenks," the team wrote in posts on their social media accounts.
Jenks, who spent last year as manager of the Windy City Thunderbolts, an independent Frontier League team based in southwest suburban Crestwood, said he's planning to recover well enough to return for a second season as manager in 2025. He also wants to join the White Sox's 20th anniversary celebration of the World Series at Rate Field on the weekend of July 11.
"Now it's time to do what I got to do to get myself better and get myself more time, however you want to look at it," Jenks told MLB.com in an interview. "I'll tell you one thing: I'm not going to die here in Portugal."
While being treated for cancer, his family also lost their home in California to the recent wildfires, including all of his personal baseball memorabilia, except for his World Series championship ring, which he had with him in Portugal.
"I've got one suitcase left to my name," Jenks said. "It's all gone. Everything else I've ever done. I have everything, first to first. All those things are irreplaceable."
Jenks helped the White Sox win the 2005 World Series, saving four games in six appearances during the postseason run, including the clinching game of the World Series. He was an All-Star in each of the next two seasons while saving a total of 81 games in 2006 and 2007. Over the next three seasons, he averaged 28-plus saves a year.
He retired 41 consecutive batters in 2007, matching a record for a reliever.
Jenks saved 173 games for the White Sox over six seasons before finishing his career with 19 appearances in 2011 with the Boston Red Sox.
