Bobby Jenks is currently fighting Stage 4 stomach cancer, also known as adenocarcinoma.
Scott Merkin from MLB.com reports that Bobby Jenks has been receiving treatment close to his wife’s Portuguese family. Adenocarcinoma Stage 4 is a type of stomach carcinoma. The baseball community has responded with an overwhelming amount of support.
Jenks’ challenges were exacerbated by the loss of the Pacific Palisades house and his personal baseball memorabilia during the Southern California fires in early this year.
“You know, the s–t I was doing in my 20s and early 30s, no normal person would have survived,” Jenks candidly shared with Merkin. In a way, I am grateful that I’m alive. It’s not surprising that this has happened. “It just goes to show that it’s important to care for yourself top to bottom, with good nutrition and regular exercise. Further reflecting on his lifestyle, he stressed that health and wellbeing should be a priority. I’m not telling you to become a Greek God, but to be mindful of what you put in your body. In my 20s it wasn’t something I thought about. “I’m not saying it’s 100% the cause of what happened.”
Bobby Jenks MLB career was short but had a big impact. His debut was with the Chicago White Sox on July 5, 2005. He quickly established himself as a key member of their bullpen. He was the White Sox’s closer by October 2005 and he had won the World Series. This cemented his position in White Sox History. His hard-throwing and closing out of games earned him respect from teammates and fans.
Jenks, who spent five seasons as a White Sox pitcher, was twice selected to the All-Star team and averaged an incredible 33 saves each season. This made him one of America’s premier closes.
The White Sox decided not to offer Jenks any contract after the 2010 season. Before the 2011 season, he signed a contract worth $12 million for two years with the Boston Red Sox. Injuries cut his stay in Boston short, and in July 2012 he was let go, ending his professional career.
Jenks continued to play baseball despite the difficulties. As manager of Grand Junction Rockies in 2022 he led them to win the Pioneer League title. He was the manager of the Windy City Thunderbolts independent team in 2024.
Bobby Jenks, who has a long-standing connection to both the Chicago White Sox team and city, hopes to personally attend the Chicago White Sox’s 20 year reunion with their World Series Championship team on the weekend of 11th July.