David West, ’93 Phillies reliever, passes away
David West, who pitched for the Philadelphia Phillies from 1993 to 1996, passed away at the age of 57 after battling brain cancer. His former teammate Ruben Amaro Jr. announced the news on Twitter:
West played a pivotal role on the beloved 1993 Phillies team that advanced to the World Series. In 76 appearances, the left hander pitched to a 2.92 ERA with a 6-4 record and three saves in the regular season that year. West pitched a 1-2-3 eighth inning against the heart of the Atlanta Braves lineup in a series-clinching victory in Game 6 of the 1993 NLCS.
Embed from Getty ImagesHe was diagnosed with brain cancer in May 2021. The list of former Phillies who tragically passed away from brain cancer is long and includes West, Darren Daulton, John Vukovich and Tug McGraw.
The Phillies released a statement on West’s passing:
“The Phillies, along with the rest of the baseball community, grieve the passing of former pitcher David West. West, who pitched for the Phillies for four years, including the 1993 pennant-winning season, was known as an incredibly generous teammate and friend with an unmatched sense of humor. Our thoughts are with David’s family, friends and everyone whose life he touched.”
John Kruk, Larry Andersen, Mickey Morandini, Kevin Stocker and Milt Thompson spoke on the loss of their former teammate.
“Another brother gone way too soon. My prayers go out to the family of David West. David was a great teammate and a funny human being. We don’t reach the World Series without him. RIP my brother.” – John Kruk
“It is with great sadness that I write this message about my roomie and best teammate ever. David West had the biggest heart to go with his huge personality. He was always there to give you a pat on the back when you were down, or a hilarious one-liner when things were going well. He was the ultimate teammate, but an even better friend. He will certainly be missed. Rest in peace, my friend.” – Larry Andersen
“What a great friend and teammate David was. Just another member of the Phillies family we have lost way too early. Prayers to Westy’s family.” – Mickey Morandini
“I’m not kidding when I tell you that Westy was literally this gentle giant who seemed to always have a smile on his face. I had so much respect for David and how he went about his business on the mound. We don’t win in ’93 without his left arm out of the bullpen. However, the one thing that I will always remember is that even though I was a rookie in 1993, David never treated me as one. Even though I was only 23 years old, I felt like he always respected how I played and who I was as a person. He even made an impression on my wife, Brooke, in that he would always say hello to her after games and ask how she was getting along with the craziness of baseball life. David will be missed.” – Kevin Stocker
“My heart is broken with the loss of another one of my brothers. Rest in peace, Big Bird. My heart goes out to your family.” – Milt Thompson
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