Former Blue Jays Pitcher Brian Wolfe Dies at 45

Brian Wolfe, a former major league pitcher, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 45, according to a statement from his wife, Rachell. In a Facebook post, she mourned the loss of her husband, who had endured a "really really difficult and torturous battle."

Born in Fullerton, Wolfe began his high school career at Servite High School in Anaheim, where he quickly made an impact. He committed to play at Cal State Fullerton as a junior, but instead turned professional shortly after being selected in the sixth round of the 1999 MLB Draft by the Minnesota Twins.

Wolfe signed a $125,000 bonus offer with the Twins and was assigned to the Florida-based Gulf Coast Rookie League to fast-track his career. After six years in the Twins' system, he was released in May 2005 and finished the season with the Milwaukee Brewers. In 2006, the Brewers traded Wolfe to the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for Corey Koskie.

Wolfe, a late bloomer at 26, made a significant impact upon joining Toronto. He posted a 0.84 ERA in 14 relief appearances during his first spring training with the Blue Jays, and made his debut in May 2007. He went on to make 38 appearances that season, establishing a career-high.

Over his three major-league seasons with Toronto (2007-09), Wolfe made 72 appearances, compiling a 5-5 record and a 3.81 ERA. After the 2009 season, he became a free agent and ventured to Japan, signing with the Nippon Ham Fighters of Nippon Professional Baseball. Over nine seasons in Japan, Wolfe became a star, starting 77 games for the Fighters from 2010-13 and posting a 35-29 record with a 3.43 ERA. His final season with the Fighters was in 2018 when he retired at the age of 37.

Former Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Brandon Barnes paid tribute to Wolfe in a video posted to his Facebook account, expressing his profound loss and remembering Wolfe as a dear friend and mentor.