Garret Anderson, a three-time All-Star who spent the bulk of his MLB career with the Angels and became their all-time hits leader, died Thursday, the team announced.
He was 53 years old.
Anderson suffered a medical emergency at his Newport Beach home, per TMZ.
Anderson helped the Angels win the World Series in 2002, and by the time he left for the Braves in 2009, followed by the Dodgers in 2010, he’d collected 2,368 hits while with Los Angeles.
Angels’ Garret Anderson hits a three-run double in Game 7 of the 2002 World Series against the San Francisco Giants. REUTERSAngels owner Arte Moreno described Anderson to The Athletic as a “cornerstone” throughout his 15 seasons with the franchise, and he added that “his admiration and respect for the game was immeasurable.”
Anderson was inducted into the Angels’ Hall of Fame in 2016, and the left fielder and former fourth-round pick — drafted out of Granada Hills’ John F. Kennedy High School — finished his 17-year MLB career with 2,529 hits and a .785 OPS.
He previously told the Los Angeles Times that the chance to play so close to him was a “dream come true,” according to The Athletic.
“We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Angels Hall of Famer Garret Anderson,” the Angels wrote in an X post Friday. “Garret will forever hold a special place in the hearts of Angels fans for his professionalism, class, and loyalty throughout his career and beyond. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the entire Anderson family.”
Anderson gets a pat on the head from teammate Bengie Molina after their World Series win. REUTERSOutfielder Mike Trout, the only player with a longer Angels tenure than Anderson, honored his predecessor.
“Garret Anderson was a huge part of Angels history and inspired so many of us who wear this uniform,” Trout wrote on X. “Keeping his family in my thoughts and prayers”
During the 2002 season, Anderson finished fourth in MVP voting en route to the Angels’ World Series title — hitting .306 with a .871 OPS — and even delivered in Game 7 against the Giants, producing a three-run double to give them the lead for good in their 4-1 victory.
“I still can’t believe the ringing in my ears right now,” Anderson said at the time as the celebration continued around him for the first — and still only — championship in Angels history, according to a New York Times story at the time.
Following Anderson’s death, it was revealed that the Angels will wear a patch to honor Anderson throughout the rest of the 2026 — with it containing his initials, his birth year of 1972 and his death year of 2026.
Anderson is survived by his wife, Teresa, his two daughters and his son.
