The baseball community is mourning the loss of Dave McCarty, a member of the 2004 World Series champion Boston Red Sox team. McCarty, who played first base and outfield for the Red Sox from 2003-05, passed away at the age of 54. The Red Sox announced his passing on social media, expressing their condolences to his wife, Monica, and their children, Reid and Maxine.
McCarty was a first-round draft pick by the Minnesota Twins in 1991 and went on to have an 11-year MLB career, playing for several teams including the San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners, Kansas City Royals, and Oakland A’s. During his time with the Red Sox, McCarty appeared in 118 games over three seasons and was known for his productive performance at the plate, with a .286/.355/.440 slash line, five home runs, and 25 RBIs. He even pitched in three games for the Red Sox in 2004, allowing only one earned run on two hits while striking out four over 3.2 innings.
One of McCarty’s most memorable moments in a Red Sox uniform was his walk-off home run against the Seattle Mariners in May 2004, securing a 9-7 victory in the 12th inning. He played a role in helping the Red Sox break their 86-year World Series curse in 2004. After retiring in 2005, McCarty served as an analyst for Red Sox games until the end of the 2008 season. His presence and contributions to the Red Sox organization will always be remembered by fans and teammates alike.