[Archive 2007-11-24] Baseball pitcher Joe Kennedy dies

Historical archive — originally published 2007-11-24. This report records what was known on that date. It is not current news; subsequent events may have changed the situation. Wikinews closed in May 2026.

Free agent left-handed pitcher Joe Kennedy, 28, died suddenly on Friday in Brandon, Florida where he was visiting his wife's family.

Kennedy was at an in-laws' home where he collapsed shortly after 1:15 a.m. He was taken to Brandon Regional Hospital where he was pronounced dead. No cause of death was yet formally determined, although some observers speculated he sustained an aneurysm or heart failure.

Since leaving the Oakland Athletics, Kennedy signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks briefly during August 2007 then being released the same month. Kennedy then joined the Toronto Blue Jays late that month.

The 6-foot, 4-inch southpaw pitched at Grossmont Junior College in El Cajon, California before being drafted by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the 8th round of the 1998 amateur draft. Kennedy pitched a total of 908.7 innings with a winning percentage of .413 and a 4.5 ERA for his career.

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