ANAHEIM, Calif. – Garret Anderson, the multitalented outfielder who became the Los Angeles Angels' career hits leader and led the team to its only World Series title, has died. He was 53.
The Angels announced Anderson's death Friday morning without immediately disclosing the cause or location.
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Anderson reached the majors with the then-California Angels in 1994 and played for the club until 2008, primarily as a left fielder. He was a fixture in the heart of their batting order for his entire tenure, becoming the franchise's career leader in games played (2,013), hits (2,368), RBIs (1,292), total bases (3,743), extra-base hits (796), doubles (489) and grand slams (8).
“The Angels organization is mourning the loss of one of our franchise’s most beloved icons, Garret Anderson,” Angels owner Arte Moreno said in a statement. “Garret was a cornerstone of our organization throughout his 15 seasons, and his stoic presence in the outfield and our clubhouse elevated the Angels into an era of continued success, highlighted by the 2002 World Series championship. Garret will forever hold a special place in the hearts of Angels fans for his professionalism, class and loyalty throughout his career and beyond. His admiration and respect for the game was immeasurable.”
The Angels will wear a memorial patch this season bearing Anderson's initials, the team announced. They will hold a moment of silence Friday before the Angels host the San Diego Padres.
Anderson was a three-time AL All-Star who finished as high as fourth in the AL MVP balloting, and he won two Silver Slugger awards. He memorably won the Home Run Derby and the All-Star Game MVP award in 2003 in Chicago.
His 272 career homers are third in Angels history behind Mike Trout and Tim Salmon. Only Trout has scored more runs in Angels history than Anderson.
In 2002, Anderson batted .306 and drove in a team-leading 123 runs for the then-Anaheim Angels, who won 99 games and earned a wild-card playoff berth. The Halos stormed through the playoffs to this franchise's only championship, overcoming a 3-2 series deficit to Barry Bonds and the San Francisco Giants to win the World Series.
Anderson was a key factor in the Fall Classic, batting 9 of 32 with six RBIs. He drove in the final three runs of the series with a tiebreaking three-run double in the third inning of the Angels' 4-1 victory over the Giants in Game 7.
Anderson finished his career with Atlanta and the Los Angeles Dodgers before his retirement in 2011. He was inducted into the Angels' Hall of Fame in 2016, and he had regularly worked for the team as a television broadcaster on its pregame and postgame shows over the ensuing decade.
Anderson was born in Los Angeles on June 30, 1972. He attended Granada Hills High School in the suburban San Fernando Valley before the Angels drafted him in the fourth round in 1990.
The Angels said Anderson is survived by his wife, Teresa, daughters Brianne and Bailey, and son Garret "Trey" Anderson III.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB