Former Chicago White Sox All-Star closer Bobby Jenks, who led the team to a World Series championship in 2005, has passed away at the age of 44 following a battle with adenocarcinoma, a form of stomach cancer.
The Chicago announced today that Bobby Jenks passed away on Friday at Sintra, Portugal. He is survived by his wife, Eleni Tzitzivacos, and his six children. Jenks had four children with his first wife, Adele Romkee, and two with Tzitzivacos.
A native of Mission Hills, California, Jenks was initially drafted by the Anaheim Angels in 2000. The White Sox picked him up off waivers in 2004, and he was called up to the majors in the middle of their championship-winning 2005 season.
The two-time All-Star recorded a superb 2.25 ERA in eight innings pitched during the 2005 postseason. The White Sox swept the Houston Astros to claim the franchise’s first World Series since 1917, ending an 88-year drought.
Former Chicago White Sox All-Star pitcher and 2005 World Series Champion Bobby Jenks passed away yesterday, July 4, in Sintra, Portugal, where he had been battling adenocarcinoma, a form of stomach cancer. He was 44 years old. pic.twitter.com/KDb3I0KL66
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) July 5, 2025
Jenks pitched for the White Sox through the 2010 season and finished his career with the Boston Red Sox in 2011. He also helped Chicago to an AL Central crown in 2008.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Bobby Jenks’ family and friends and the Chicago White Sox organization during this devastating time.
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Bobby Jenks Is Second All-Time In Saves Among White Sox
Bobby Jenks sits second all-time in saves among White Sox players with 173, behind only Bobby Thigpen’s 201. His 282 games finished are also the third-most in franchise history, behind Thigpen and Roberto Hernández.
