BOSTON -- Mike Greenwell , who took over left field from Jim Rice in the late 1980s and emerged into a Red Sox Hall of Famer in his own right, died on Thursday after a battle with thyroid cancer. He was 62.

Greenwell's death was announced on Thursday by officials in Lee County, Fla. , where he had served as a county commissioner since 2022.

A left-handed hitter who belted line drives all over the field, Greenwell finished second in the American League’s Most Valuable Player Award voting to Jose Canseco in 1988.

As the key cog for the AL East champion Red Sox that season, Greenwell had a batting line of .325/.416/.531 with 22 homers and 119 RBIs.

He ended the season with 7.5 bWAR and won a Silver Slugger Award.

“Mike was an unbelievable teammate and an unbelievable friend,” said fo

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