Pedro Gomez, one of the country’s chief baseball journalists for ESPN, died Sunday, Feb. 7, 2021, at 58. Gomez was the son of Cuban parents that went to Miami before he was born.
Gomez covered baseball for SportsCenter, Baseball Tonight, and ESPN studio shows. Within his vast 35-year career, Gomez covered over 25 World Series and over 20 All-Star Games. ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro expressed his shock and saddened he was to learn that his friend and colleague had passed away. Pitaro continues by saying:
Pedro was an elite journalist at the highest level and his professional accomplishments are universally recognized. More importantly, Pedro was a kind, dear friend to us all. Our hearts are with Pedro’s family and all who love him at this extraordinarily difficult time.
Gomez’s son Rio is a pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, and the team tweeted Sunday night that their hearts go out to the Gomez family.
He was part of the ESPN 2016 coverage when the Tampa Bay Rays took on Havana’s Cuban national team. Gomez also covered a U.S. men’s soccer game in Havana in 2008 for ESPN. He was very vital to the network’s coverage of Barry Bonds’ quest to pass Henry Aaron’s home run record in 2007.
Before joining ESPN, Gomez was a writer for the Miami News, the San Diego Union, the San Jose Mercury News, Miami Herald, and the Sacrament Bee. His specialty was in baseball coverage before becoming a columnist at the Arizona Republic in 1997.
Arizona Diamondbacks president Derrick Hall tweeted:
Gomez exemplified class and dignity at all times. He was a pro and our sport will miss him dearly.
Gomez is survived by his wife, Sandra; sons, Rio and Dante; and daughter, Sierra.
Written by Omari Jahi
Sources:
ESPN: ESPN baseball reporter Pedro Gomez dies at 58,
CNN: ESPN reporter Pedro Gomez has died at 58, Christina Maxouris
Fox News: ESPN reporter Pedro Gomez, 58, dies ‘unexpectedly at home,’ family says, Ryan Gaydos
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Inset Image Courtesy of Art Siegel’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
