Hall of Famer Wade Boggs says he's cancer-free after two-year battle with prostate cancer

BOSTON (AP) — Baseball Hall of Famer Wade Boggs says he's been declared cancer free two years after announcing that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer.

“I'm a cancer survivor now. Prostate cancer is null and void. Thank God,” Boggs said Friday night after throwing out a ceremonial first pitch before Boston's game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park.

Wade was alongside other living Red Sox greats who've also had their numbers retired. The group, which included Carl Yastrzemski, Carlton Fisk, Pedro Martinez, David Ortiz and Jim Rice, was on hand to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the club’s first home game, a 12-4 victory on May, 8, 1901 at Huntington Avenue Grounds over the Philadelphia Athletics.

Boggs, 67, said early detection testing led to his diagnosis in 2024 and led to the subsequent radiation and hormone treatments he received in Florida.

“It's a process that you have to go through, and I encourage all young men to get your PSA tests," Boggs said. "Please go out there. Because mine, it wasn't even on the radar. It was a 3.3 and they don't even start talking about it until it gets to four. But I had the bad one and we caught it early. ... I had my checkup a month ago and I'm completely cancer free.”

Wade spent 11 of his 18 major league seasons with the Red Sox. That was followed by five seasons with the New York Yankees, where he won a World Series ring in 1996. He played the final two years of his career with Tampa Bay, retiring following the 1999 season at age 41.

But he said he never actually wanted to leave Boston, who retired his No. 26 retired May 16, 2016.

“I think the one thing that's lost in translation is that Mrs. (Jean) Yawkey had offered me a seven-year deal to stay with the Red Sox for substantial money. And then, coincidentally, her dying and the offer was taken off the table. And I had to find employment elsewhere. ... But no, I never wanted to leave Boston. My heart's always been in Boston and they know it. And everyone from the ground up knows it, that Boston is the special place in my heart. ”

Boggs hit .328 in his career, finishing with 3,010 hits, 118 home runs and 1,014 RBIs. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame on his first try in 2005, appearing on 91.9% of ballots.

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Boston Red Sox greats Wade Boggs, left, and Jim Rice, right, shake hands during a ceremony prior to a baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays, Friday, May 8, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Boston Red Sox greats, from left, Pedro Martinez, David Ortiz, Wade Boggs, Jim Rice, Carl Yastrzemski and Carlton Fisk, gather during a ceremony prior to a baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays, Friday, May 8, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

PHOENIX (AP) — The struggling Arizona Diamondbacks shook up their roster on Friday, promoting their top prospect, outfielder Ryan Waldschmidt, from Triple-A and designating veteran outfielder Alek Thomas for assignment.

The 23-year-old Waldschmidt — who nearly made the team out of spring training — was batting .289 with three homers, 22 RBIs and had a .877 OPS at Triple-A Reno. He was the 31st overall pick in the 2024 draft out of Kentucky.

“I'm feeling great,” Waldschmidt said. “This is a moment I've been looking forward to my entire childhood and throughout my career. Just making sure to take it all in for now, enjoy the moment, and get ready to play.”

Waldschmidt was not in the lineup for Friday's game against the New York Mets. The Diamondbacks entered having lost 11 of 15 to fall to 17-19 this season.

The 26-year-old Thomas was hitting .181 with two homers in 100 plate appearances. The speedy center fielder has been a good defensive player throughout his five-year tenure with the club, but often struggled at the plate.

He has a .230 career batting average and a .273 on-base percentage. Manager Torey Lovullo praised Thomas' ability and work ethic, but said the D-backs needed better at-bats at the bottom of the order.

“This is a game of production, this is a game of being able to go out there and do your job,” Lovullo said. “When things are grinding, and there's somebody as talented and ready as Ryan Waldschmidt is, these are the things that can potentially happen.”

Thomas had his share of big moments with the club, particularly during the team's run to the World Series in 2023. He hit four homers during the postseason, including a tying, two-run shot against the Phillies in Game 4 of the NLCS.

D-backs general manager Mike Hazen has seven days to trade or release Thomas before he's put on waivers. If he's not picked up by one of the other 29 teams, he could theoretically be sent back to Triple-A Reno.

“He is a tremendously talented player and a great kid and he works his butt off,” Hazen said. “It just didn't click for us for extended periods of time here.”

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Arizona Diamondbacks' Alek Thomas (5) takes batting practice before a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Friday, May 1, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)