The Angels confirmed that garret anderson, their longtime outfielder and franchise icon, has died at age 53 and the team announced a memorial patch that players will wear for the remainder of the season.
Players learned the news midflight returning from New York, and the cabin fell silent, according to accounts from the team and players who were on the plane.
In the first game wearing the commemorative GA patch the Angels ended the Padres eight-game winning streak with an 8-0 victory, led by a dominant outing from José Soriano.
Reports said Soriano worked 5 2/3 scoreless innings with eight strikeouts, lowering a league-leading earned run average to 0.28, while Jo Adell and Josh Lowe each drove in two runs.
Outfielder Jo Adell called the news shocking and said the team was still processing the loss, and Mike Trout said Anderson had meant a lot to the organization when Trout was drafted.
Manager Kurt Suzuki, who faced Anderson during his career, described him as a professional who did everything right, never sought the spotlight, and modeled the kind of play he wants younger players to emulate.
Legacy And Career Details
Anderson spent 15 seasons with the Angels and figures prominently in franchise history, as noted in team coverage that listed him as the franchise leader in games played with 2,013, hits with 2,368, doubles with 489, and RBIs with 1,292.
Another report summarized career totals differently, saying Anderson finished with 2,529 hits, 287 home runs, and a .293/.324/.461 slash line, and noted he played 17 major league seasons.
Sources also reported that Anderson was originally a fourth round pick of the Angels in 1990, finished second in Rookie of the Year voting in 1990, and placed fourth in Most Valuable Player voting in 2002.
The same reporting listed him as a three-time All Star and two-time Silver Slugger, and recorded that he completed his career with the Braves in 2009 and the Dodgers in 2010.
Former teammate Tim Salmon described Anderson as a brother and recalled a 45-minute phone call with Anderson the week before he died, calling that final conversation a blessing.
Others in baseball offered brief reflections, with Jered Weaver calling Anderson the epitome of professionalism and Jim Abbott saying Anderson never failed to speak of his family.
The Angels opened their homestand with a moment of silence and a tribute video, and the club said Anderson will hold a permanent place in the organization for his professionalism, class, and loyalty.
