Former MLB Pitcher Brian Wolfe Dies at 45 After 'Torturous Battle'
Wife Rachell Wolfe announced the death of the California native on social media, calling his fight
Former Major League Baseball pitcher Brian Wolfe died at the age of 45 following a challenging illness, his wife, Rachell Wolfe, announced Tuesday on Facebook.
"I’m sorry to write this but after a really really difficult and torturous battle Brian Wolfe passed away early this morning," she wrote.
No cause of death has been publicly disclosed. Former MLB outfielder Brandon Barnes confirmed Wolfe’s passing in a social media video on Wednesday, describing Wolfe as "one of my best friends and mentor."
Wolfe, a native of Fullerton, California, played three seasons in MLB for the Toronto Blue Jays and had a nine-year career in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball.
He was selected by the Minnesota Twins in the sixth round of the 1999 draft out of Servite High School. Wolfe spent six years in the Twins' minor league system before being released in May 2005. He finished that season in the Milwaukee Brewers' organization. In January 2006, Milwaukee traded Wolfe to Toronto.
Wolfe made his MLB debut with the Blue Jays in May 2007. He appeared in a career-high 38 games out of the bullpen that season, posting a 2.98 ERA. Over his MLB career, he made 72 appearances, compiling a 5-5 record with a 3.81 ERA.
After becoming a free agent following the 2009 season, Wolfe signed with the Nippon Ham Fighters in Japan, where he started 77 games between 2010 and 2013. He retired from professional baseball at the age of 37.