Former White Sox Closer Bobby Jenks Announces Stomach Cancer Diagnosis

Bobby Jenks, the former closer who helped the Chicago White Sox win the 2005 World Series, told MLB.com's Scott Merkin he is battling stomach cancer.

Jenks, 43, is undergoing treatment for Stage 4 adenocarcinoma, according to Merkin.

“It’s awful to think about,” Jenks told Merkin. “It’s just been a whirlwind.”

Merkin, who is currently in a hospital in Portugal, went on to detail the health problems Jenks as experienced since last fall:

"Health issues began for Jenks with a deep vein thrombosis in his right calf when he got to Portugal in October. That issue led to multiple blood clots in his lungs. In early January, Jenks noticed his energy dropping considerably, to the point where he had to stop and rest at the halfway point between his couch to the bathroom.

"By the time he returned to the hospital for more tests, Jenks was jaundiced, his skin and eyes turning yellow. There was an infection related to that issue, but it wasn’t until Jenks had a CT scan at a different hospital that a tumor in the middle of his chest was discovered."

Jenks told Merkin the issue spread into his stomach lining, bones, lower back and hips.

He is currently undergoing a second round of radiation, which concludes with three sessions scheduled over the upcoming week, according to Merkin.

Per Merkin, the goal is to "shrink the tumor" and reduce bleeding before discussing what to do next.

“Now it’s time to do what I got to do to get myself better and get myself more time, however you want to look at it,” Jenks told Merkin. “I’ll tell you one thing: I’m not going to die here in Portugal. They are not going to put any numbers on it. I wouldn’t even want numbers... Whatever happens is going to happen regardless.”

He also told Merkin he believes "everybody needs to be more mindful about what they put in their bodies."

Jenks additionally told Merkin he lost his belongings, including the entirety of his baseball memorabilia collection excepting his World Series ring, in the Palisades fire that burned thousands of acres in Los Angeles last month.

Jenks played seven MLB seasons, including six with the White Sox, between 2005 and 2011. He finished his career with a World Series win and 173 career saves.

Most recently Jenks served as manager for the Windy City ThunderBolts, a Frontier League professional team based in Illinois. He told Merkins he hopes to manage the ThunderBolts again in 2025.