the tim wakefield memorial patch

tim wakefield passed away from cancer on october 1, 2023 at the age of 57. wakefield was a bit of a phenom when he broke in with the pirates in 1992 and beat the braves twice in the nlcs, but he didn't find any sustained success until he joined the red sox prior to the 1995 season. he pitched for the red sox for 17 years and was part of their 2004 and 2007 world series championship teams. after retirement, he remained involved with the club as a special assistant and broadcaster.

in light of his significance to red sox nation, the team wore a patch in his honor for the entirety of the 2024 season, and that patch is visible on this rafael devers card from 2024 topps update

the patch is heart-shaped, with wakefield's number 49 inside.

the card is a sneaky insert as it is an all-star game insert. devers didn't suit up for the all-star game and so his selection is noted with a photo showing him in his "everyday" duds.

when the team honored wakefield prior to the first game of the 2024 season, they also honored his wife stacy who passed away from cancer a few months after her husband. it could be argued that the patch represents the couple, whose community involvement efforts and support of the jimmy fund were well documented.