The post ESPN facing backlash over Bobby Jenks post appeared first on Sox On 35th.
ESPN’s social media team is catching criticism for a post made this weekend.
The outlet addressed the unfortunate passing of former White Sox closer Bobby Jenks on their X profile Saturday evening. However, they seemingly downplayed the significance of the pitcher’s contributions to the team, particularly during the 2005 World Series run.
The post in question, which still remains published with its original wording, reads as follows:
“Bobby Jenks, a two-time All-Star pitcher for the Chicago White Sox, who was on the roster when the franchise won the 2005 World Series, died on Friday in Sintra, Portugal, the team announced.”
White Sox fans were quick to point out the caption, with the most glaring line reading: “who was on the roster when the franchise won the 2005 World Series.” The rookie closer not only was on the roster but appeared in all four games during the World Series sweep over the Astros, recording two saves in the process. One of those came in the series-clinching Game 4, with Jenks the focal point of the team’s celebration after recording the final out.
Along with countless replies from fans, former players and media members also chimed in.
Jenks passed away at 44 years old on Friday in Sintra, Portugal, where he was battling Stage 4 stomach cancer, the White Sox announced on social media. News of Jenks’s cancer diagnosis orginally came out in a February article by MLB.com’s Scott Merkin. The former right-hander announced he was undergoing treatment at a hospital in Portugal for adenocarcinoma, a form of stomach cancer, after moving abroad to be closer to his wife’s family.
According to Merkin at the time, Jenks dealt with a deep vein thrombosis (blood clot) in his right calf upon first arriving at the facility in October. It was just the beginning of his health issues, which led to additional blood clots in his lungs and eventually a noticeable loss of energy in daily tasks. After undergoing tests and having a CT scan done, a tumor in the middle of his chest was discovered.
Forever our closer
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— Sox On 35th (@SoxOn35th) July 5, 2025
Jenks played in the majors for seven seasons from 2005-11, spending most of his time with the White Sox before shipping up to Boston for his final campaign. Most commonly known for his dominance during the 2005 World Series run, Jenks ranks third all-time in saves by a White Sox pitcher. He is also a two-time All-Star and formerly held the major league record for retiring consecutive batters (41).
Within a half hour of this article’s publication, ESPN issued a reply to the original post with additional context and a video produced by the White Sox.
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The post ESPN facing backlash over Bobby Jenks post appeared first on Sox On 35th.