Mike Greenwell, the two-time All-Star outfielder who spent his entire 12-year Major League Baseball career with the Boston Red Sox, has died at the age of 62. Greenwell passed away on October 9, 2025, in Boston, after a battle with medullary thyroid cancer, a rare and aggressive disease he had publicly disclosed in August.

Known affectionately as "The Gator," Greenwell was a beloved figure in both Boston and Fort Myers, Florida. The Red Sox organization expressed their sorrow, stating that Greenwell "spent his entire career in a Red Sox uniform and was a beloved fixture of Fenway and Fort Myers," adding, "He gave so much to Lee County and Sox Nation".

Born on July 18, 1963, in Louisville, Kentucky, Greenwell grew up in Southwest Florida and was drafted by the Red Sox in the third round of the 1982 MLB Draft after starring at North Fort Myers High School. He made his major league debut in 1985 and quickly became a fixture in left field, taking over from Jim Rice. A line-drive hitter, Greenwell batted .303 with 130 home runs and 726 RBIs over his career. He was inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2008.

Greenwell's most memorable season came in 1988 when he hit .325 with 22 home runs and 119 RBIs, earning his first All-Star selection and Silver Slugger Award and finishing as runner-up for the American League MVP. That year, he also set a then-American League record with 23 hits in a month. Another career highlight occurred on September 2, 1996, when he drove in all nine runs in a 9-8 victory against the Seattle Mariners at the Kingdome.

After retiring from baseball, Greenwell remained in Lee County, Florida, where he owned and operated several businesses, including "Gator Mike's," a family fun park in Cape Coral. In 2022, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis appointed him to the Lee County Board of County Commissioners, and he was elected to a full term in 2024. His colleagues lauded him for his community focus and straightforward advocacy. The Lee County Government acknowledged his death in a Facebook post, recognizing Greenwell as "a strong advocate for the people and businesses of Lee County".

Medullary thyroid cancer, the disease that took Greenwell's life, is a rare form of thyroid cancer, accounting for only 1 to 2 percent of all thyroid cancer cases in the United States.

Mike Greenwell is survived by his wife, Tracy, and their sons, Bo and Garrett.