Angels announce death of MLB legend Garret Anderson at age 53

Bob Nightengale, USA TODAY Fri, April 17, 2026 at 4:12 PM UTC

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Garret Anderson, one of the greatest and most beloved players in Los Angeles Angels history, has died at the age of 53, the team announced Friday.

Anderson, a three-time All-Star who helped lead the Angels to the 2002 World Series championship, played the majority of his 17-year career with the Angels. He holds franchise record for games played (2,013), hits (2,368), runs scored (1,024), RBI (1,292), and total bases (3,743). He ranked second behind only Hall of Famer Derek Jeter for the most hits from 1997-2003.

Anderson, the 2003 All-Star Game MVP and Home Run Derby winner, had been working for the Angels as a broadcaster.

“The Angels prganization is mourning the loss of one of our franchise’s most beloved icons," said Angels owner Arte Moreno in a statement. “Garret was a cornerstone of our organization throughout his 15 seasons and his stoic presence in the outfield and our clubhouse elevated the Angels into an era of continued success...

"Garret will forever hold a special place in the hearts of Angels fans for his professionalism, class, and loyalty throughout his career and beyond. His admiration and respect for the game was immeasurable. We extend our deepest condolences to Garret’s wife Teresa, daughters Brianne and Bailey, son Garret ‘Trey’ Anderson III, and his entire family.”

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Anderson, who became only the second player in baseball history in 2000 to hit more home runs (35) than walks (24), finished fourth in the AL MVP race in 2002 when the Angels won the World Series. He hit .306 with 29 homers and 123 RBI, while scoring a career-high 93 runs.

Anderson retired in 2011 and was inducted into the Angels’ Hall of Fame in 2016.

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“It is with mixed emotions that I have decided to retire from baseball," Anderson said in his retirement statement. “I know I will miss many aspects of the game, the grind of playing every day, hitting with the game on the line, the clubhouse banter, making a good defensive play, the guys, the roar of the crowd after a win, and the friendships made throughout the years. It was truly a privilege to play this wonderful game and for that I want to thank several individuals."

Anderson grew up in Granada Hills, California, and was selected in the fourth round of the 1990 amateur draft. He spent five years in the minors before making his MLB debut July 27, 1994 against Oakland with his first hit off Ron Darling. He finished second in the AL Rookie of the Year voting in 1995 behind Marty Cordova of the Minnesota Twins.

He was one of the game’s most durable players, playing an average of 156 games per year his first eight seasons. He finished with 2,529 hits and a career .293 batting average.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Garret Anderson dies at 53: Angels legend won World Series in LA

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