Julio Lugo, the starting shortstop on the Boston Red Sox’ 2007 World Series championship team, died Monday — a day shy of his 46th birthday.
The news was confirmed by Lugo’s sister, who spoke with ESPN Deportes. It is reported that Lugo suffered a heart attack while leaving a gym in his native Dominican Republic. He was taken to a hospital in Santo Domingo but could not be revived, according to ESPN Deportes.
Lugo played in the major leagues from 2000 to 2011 with the Houston Astros, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Los Angeles Dodgers, Red Sox, St. Louis Cardinals, Baltimore Orioles and Atlanta Braves. He batted .269 for his career, with 80 home runs, 475 RBIs and 198 stolen bases.
Lugo became a target of the Red Sox when he became a free agent following the 2006 season. Having played for the AL East rival Devil Rays, Red Sox GM Theo Esptein was quite familiar with Lugo and made him one of two prized free agent signings that season, along with outfielder J.D. Drew.
It was an up-and-down 2007 season for Lugo, who struggled at the plate in the regular season, batting only .237 in 147 games. He did, however, deliver the winning hit in the “Mothers Day Miracle” victory over Baltimore.
Lugo heated up during the World Series, hitting .385 in Boston’s four-game sweep of the Colorado Rockies.
The following year, Lugo struggled in the field defensively and played only 82 games due to injury, as the Red Sox reached Game 7 of the American League Championship Series. In 2009, Lugo was traded to St. Louis.
Lugo was born in the Dominican Republic, went to high school in Brooklyn and was a 43rd-round draft choice out of Connors State College in Oklahoma.