Tributes pour in for Angels broadcaster, Hall of Famer who died suddenly at 53

The sudden death of Garret Anderson, announced by the Angels on April 17, elicited an outpouring of tributes to the 17-year MLB outfielder and broadcaster from many in the baseball industry.

MORE: Angels announce tragic death of 2002 World Series champion at 53

“It’s been a shocking and devastating time since learning of Garret Anderson’s passing,” Angels radio broadcaster Trent Rush wrote on X. “A truly elite hitter. And I don’t say that lightly. I got to admire him as a kid, but spent many nights watching baseball with him over the last decade or so. Everyone talked about how he was so quiet…not when it came to talking real baseball.

“Our game has lost one of its great baseball minds,” Rush continued. “When he opened up, no one was better to have a conversation with than GA. He was a gentleman and a fierce competitor. He showed us how to be both. He also never thought he was somehow better than anyone else because he could hit a baseball. That always struck me because he really was better, in virtually every way.”

“A shocking and monumental loss in the Angels family,” the Angels’ television play-by-play broadcaster Wayne Randazzo wrote on X. “A really tremendous player and a wonderful, gentle man off the field.”

“Heartbreaking,” Fox Sports dugout reporter and The Athletic national baseball writer Ken Rosenthal wrote on X. “Garret had a terrific career and was as classy as they come.”

““The Angels Organization is mourning the loss of one of our franchise’s most beloved icons, Garret Anderson,” Angels owner Arte Moreno said in a statement. “Garret was a cornerstone of our organization throughout his 15 seasons and his stoic presence in the outfield and our clubhouse elevated the Angels into an era of continued success, highlighted by the 2002 World Series Championship.”

The Angels announced they will wear a memorial patch on their jerseys honoring Anderson for the remainder of the 2026 season.

In 17 MLB seasons — 15 with the Angels — Anderson made three American League All-Star teams (2002, 2003, 2005) and won two Silver Slugger Awards. He helped the Angels win their first and still only World Series championship in 2002.