Aaron Boone expresses support for Tim Wakefield as he battles illness

TORONTO – Aaron Boone will always be connected to Tim Wakefield.

The Yankees manager hit one of the most famous home runs in franchise history against the Red Sox knuckleballer, a bottom-of-the-11th homer to left at old Yankee Stadium that ended Game 7 of the 2003 American League Championship Series.

And so Boone, who got to know Wakefield a bit in the ensuing years, was saddened to hear Thursday that the longtime pitcher had been diagnosed with brain cancer.

“My heart goes out to him, my prayers go out to him and his family,” Boone said before Thursday night’s game. “It’s sobering to hear those things and also one of those things that comes up that always makes you have a little bit of perspective on what you get to do each and every day. I know Wake’s going to have a lot of support and I hope he knows he has it around the whole baseball community and certainly with us here with the Yankees.”

Boone said the famous home run is not something the pair have discussed when they talk.

“I’ve had great conversations with Wake over the years,” Boone said. “Just a good dude. Great baseball guy. We don’t ever talk about that [the homer]. Our conversations…I’ve really loved catching up with him because he’s such a good dude, easy to be around. I don’t know if we ever signed anything together or done anything together over the home run, but he’s somebody that I really like and certainly respect a lot.”

The Red Sox on Thursday issued a statement that Wakefield is undergoing treatment for a disease they did not specify and asked for fans to respect his privacy after his illness was outed without his consent by former teammate Curt Schilling.

“Unfortunately, this information has been shared publicly without their permission," the team said, noting Wakefield and his wife, Stacy, gave permission for the team's statement. "Their health is a deeply personal matter they intended to keep private as they navigate treatment and work to tackle this disease. Tim and Stacy are appreciative of the support and love that has always been extended to them and respectfully ask for privacy at this time.”

The statement came after Schilling said on a podcast that Wakefield had brain cancer, leading to an outpouring of support for Wakefield — and criticism of Schilling.

Wakefield, 57, was a part of Boston’s 2004 and ’07 World Series championships and was inducted into the team’s Hall of Fame in 2016. He has worked for NESN, the Red Sox broadcast network, since 2012.

With wire reports