Mike Greenwell

Mike Greenwell, a two-time All-Star who patrolled left field for the Boston Red Sox and later served his Florida community in elected office, died October 9, 2025, in Boston. His death followed a battle with medullary thyroid cancer, which he disclosed publicly in August. He was 62.

A line-drive hitter nicknamed "The Gator," Greenwell spent all 12 of his seasons in the majors with Boston, playing for the team from 1985 to 1996. He batted .303 with 130 home runs and 726 RBI, finished runner-up for the 1988 American League MVP, and was inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2008.

Greenwell was born July 18, 1963, in Louisville, Kentucky, and grew up in Southwest Florida. He starred at North Fort Myers High School before the Red Sox chose him in the third round of the 1982 Major League Baseball Draft.

He debuted in 1985 and soon took over the franchise's storied left field when Jim Rice's career began to wind down. In 1988, he hit .325 with 22 homers and 119 RBI, sparking Boston to the postseason and earning his first All-Star nod and Silver Slugger Award.

Greenwell delivered one of the most singular games in team history on September 2, 1996, driving in all nine runs in a 9–8 win at Seattle's Kingdome.

After retiring, he stayed rooted in Lee County, Florida. He owned and operated local businesses, including a family fun park in Cape Coral long known as "Gator Mike's." In 2022, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis appointed him to the Lee County Board of County Commissioners to serve out the late Franklin B. Mann's term; he was elected to serve a full term in 2024. Colleagues praised his plain-spoken advocacy and community focus.

He is survived by his wife, Tracy, and their sons, Bo and Garrett.

By Legacy News Staff

(Image: Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)