Dave McCarty, a former first baseman and outfielder for the Boston Red Sox who was a 2004 World Series champion, has died. He was 54.
McCarty died on the morning of Friday, April 19 «due to a cardiac event» in Oakland, California, the Red Sox shared in a release.
McCarty’s death comes just over a week after he joined his former teammates at Fenway Park on April 9 to toast the 20th anniversary of their championship and to pay tribute to the late Tim and Stacy Wakefield.
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McCarty, a Houston native who attended Stanford University, played for seven teams (and in 630 games) in the MLB between 1993 and 2005.
He was selected by the Minnesota Twins in the 1991 First-Year Player Draft, before playing for the team from 1993 to 1995. From there, he joined the San Francisco Giants in 1995, Seattle Mariners in 1998, Kansas City Royals in 2000, Tampa Bay Rays in 2002, Oakland A’s in 2003 and the Red Sox in 2003.
He spent two seasons and 118 games in Boston, where he hit five homers during his time on the franchise and hit .286. McCarty played in 25 games during the team’s 2004 championship run.
He also worked as an NESN analyst from 2005 to 2008.
Former Red Sox star Kevin Youkilis shared an emotional tribute on Instagram following the news of his friend’s death, writing that McCarty was «a good one.»
«An amazing husband, father, teammate and friend. Big Mac had a huge impact on my career by teaching me how to be a big leaguer,» Youkilis wrote, alongside an image of the two smiling in the dugout. «Forever grateful for the time we shared together. May his memory be a blessing!»
Former Red Sox pitcher Lenny DiNardo also shared a tribute on X (formerly Twitter), calling McCarty’s death «awful news.»
«I was happy to be able to spend time with him at our reunion,» he wrote. «Such a great guy. He’ll be missed. Hug your loved ones.»
McCarty’s death comes after former teammate Tim Wakefield died at age 57 in October 2023. Wakefield’s wife, Stacy, died five months later.
McCarty, a father of two, is survived by his wife, Monica, and kids Reid and Maxine, the Red Sox shared.
«Playing 3 seasons with the Red Sox, he will forever be a part of the curse-breaking 2004 World Series championship team,» the organization wrote on X. «We send our love to his wife, Monica, and their children, Reid and Maxine.»
