CHICAGO -- The "45" jersey patches, designed for the remainder of the 2025 season in memory of closer Bobby Jenks, will be worn for the first time as part of the White Sox uniform during their doubleheader against the Guardians on Friday.
Jenks passed away last Friday in Sintra, Portugal, after a battle with Stage 4 adenocarcinoma, a form of stomach cancer. The hard-throwing right-hander closed out the 2005 World Series sweep of the Astros -- a championship which will be celebrated throughout this weekend during the 20-year reunion celebration -- and ranks second on the White Sox all-time saves list at 173.
Jenks' 6-foot-4, 275-pound presence -- with an equally big heart and personality to match -- made him as memorable off the field as his 100-mph fastball on the field.
“I just remember a fun-loving guy who was an intimidating presence on the mound,” said Steve Stone, who is in his 18th season as the White Sox television analyst, to MLB.com.
“I’ve heard a lot of good things about him in the clubhouse. I heard a lot of guys loved him,” added White Sox rookie reliever Grant Taylor of Jenks. “Electric fastball, electric stuff. I heard he was throwing 100 before guys were throwing 100, so that’s pretty cool.”
Taylor, a successful reliever with triple-digit heat in his own repertoire, holds a similarity to Jenks in that they both came up from the Minors midseason to work in high-leverage, late-inning roles. But the similarities end there, as Jenks arrived to the big leagues as the third closer on a dominant 2005 team that led the American League Central from start to finish, playing an integral part in the team’s championship run, while Taylor’s White Sox are currently in a rebuild.
That triple-digit velocity was not nearly as common in 2005, based on, if nothing else, the home crowd’s collective gasps when Jenks hit 102 mph with his first career pitch during his debut on July 6 20 years ago.
“What he did was very impressive,” Taylor said. “I’m hoping that someday I can play a big role on a World Series team.”
White Sox general manager Chris Getz, who played with Jenks in Chicago during the 2008 and '09 seasons, said Jenks was made for that closer’s role.
“All of it. Everything about him,” Getz said. “[He] was one of those [guys that] when he would run in from the bullpen and get on the mound, you knew you were in a good position to win the game. And you look at the size and the power in which he pitched.
“He pitched with such passion as well. And I know the White Sox fans loved him. And for good reason. So, it was a sad day when he passed, but I look forward to, in the coming days, just to tell more stories about Bobby.”
A vinyl graphic of Jenks’ iconic pose after recording the final out of Game 1 of the 2005 World Series was installed Wednesday by the White Sox on-deck circle, put together by White Sox manager of design Toby Ramos. Jenks picked up four saves in the ‘05 playoffs and two in the World Series.
“There are guys when the first organization gives up on them, like the Angels did with Bobby, sometimes it’s hard to bounce back,” Stone said. “He came to a new organization who didn’t have any preconceived notions about what he could do, and they were in need.
“They were in need of a guy who was impervious to pressure at the back end of a game. To step into that situation, with a team that was knocking at the door going to the playoffs or coming close to it, it was remarkable what he was able to accomplish.”
Many memories of Jenks will be shared this weekend at Rate Field. The reunion begins Friday night, with the unveiling of Mark Buehrle’s statue on the right-field concourse.
“I’m excited to be able to talk to those guys. A lot of them had great careers,” Taylor said. “They won a World Series together. I’m at the start of mine, so I can only learn from them.”