Baseball Hall of Famer Wade Boggs says he has once again been declared cancer free, two years after first announcing that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Boggs, who is a 12-time All-Star and played for both the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees, was first diagnosed in 2024 and he announced that he had received the all-clear in February 2025.
The cancer seemingly returned later in 2025 but the 67-year-old has now been given the green light once again, revealing the happy news on Friday night.Â
‘I’m a cancer survivor now. Prostate cancer is null and void. Thank God,’ Boggs said 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.
Wade Boggs makes his way on the field at Fenway Park to throw out the ceremonial first pitch
Boggs appeared alongside some other Boston Red Sox greats for the game vs the Rays
‘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.Â
‘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.Â
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.
Boggs is likely best known for his 10-year stint with the Boston Red Sox and 12 All-Star games
‘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.Â
‘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.Â
He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame on his first try in 2005, appearing on 91.9% of ballots.
