Duane Ward

Roy Duane Ward (born May 28, 1964 in Park View, New Mexico) was a Major League Baseball reliever during the late 1980s and early 1990s.

A hard-throwing pitcher, Ward was drafted in the 1st round of the 1982 amateur draft by the Atlanta Braves. He made his debut on April 12, 1986 but after limited success was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays on July 6.

Ward became one of the Jays' most dependable middle relievers in 1988, and remained in the role through the 1992 season, when the Blue Jays won their first World Series championship. After years of being in Tom Henke's shadow, Ward took over the closer's role in 1993. The Blue Jays again won the World Series, and Ward posted a league-best 45 saves.

The rest of Ward's career was beset by injuries. After missing the entire 1994 season, he retired after pitching four games during the 1995 season. He finished with a 3.28 ERA and 121 saves.

External links

• Baseball-Reference.com – career statistics and analysis