Los Angeles Angels legend Garret Anderson passed away on Thursday after suffering a fatal heart attack. He was 53.
TMZ reported that Anderson suffered a medical emergency in Newport Beach, California, and passed away, leaving a void in the hearts and minds of both Angels fans and baseball fans worldwide, as he was one of the most respected hitters in the majors during his 17 years in the big leagues.
The team itself confirmed Anderson’s passing in a social media post, while expressing its sympathies to his friends and family following his shocking death.
Garret Anderson Was a Los Angeles Angels Legend
The then-California Angels drafted Anderson in the fourth round of the 1990 MLB entry draft out of John F. Kennedy High School in Granada Hills, California, and he made his debut in the majors in 1994, coming second in the 1995 American League Rookie of the Year voting. Anderson went on to play 15 years for the Angels, winning the 2002 World Series with the team. He made three All-Star teams and won two Silver Slugger awards during his time with the Angels.
After leaving the Angels in 2009, Anderson finished his career playing one season each with the Atlanta Braves and the Los Angeles Dodgers, before retiring following the 2010 MLB season.
Throughout parts of 17 years in the big leagues, Anderson hit 287 home runs, had 1365 RBIs, and finished his career with an impressive .293 batting average and .796 OPS.
While Anderson played for three major-league teams, there is no doubt he is best known for his time playing for the Angels, where he became a world champion and had his best years. Anderson was inducted into the Angels Hall of Fame in 2016, becoming the 14th player in franchise history to receive the honor.
The Angels also announced that the players will wear a patch with Anderson’s initials on their jerseys for the remainder of the 2026 season.
Anderson Holds Several Angels Records
Taking a look at the Angels’ record books, Anderson holds several team records as of this time of writing, which exhibit both his talent and his longevity with the franchise.
Anderson holds the career record for most games played in Angels history with 2,013 games in the red and white. He also holds the Angels’ record for most at-bats (7,989), hits (2,368), total bases (3,743), singles (1,572), doubles (489), runs batted in (1,292), extra-base hits (796), times on base (2,771), and sacrifice flies (76).
Additionally, Anderson holds several single-season records for the Angels, including most doubles in a season with 56 and most extra-base hits in a season with 88 in 2002, the year the Angels beat the San Francisco Giants to win the World Series.
Overall, Anderson stands among the most-accomplished players in Angels history, alongside legends like Mike Trout, Vladimir Guerrero, and Shohei Ohtani. He had an incredible baseball career, and the Angels were lucky to have him for so many years.
We here at Heavy express our deepest sympathies to the Anderson family following his sudden and tragic passing. He was truly an exceptional talent who put smiles on the faces of baseball fans all over the world for nearly two decades, and the entire sports world is now in mourning after losing such an incredible man and player.
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