Toronto Blue Jays: John Olerud, Duane Ward share compliments on way to Hall of Fame

John Olerud and Duane Ward played alongside each other over the course of six seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays. Now the duo will once again share a moment under the spotlight, going into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame on June 18.

Olerud and Ward were actually members of the 2020 class heading into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame, but COVID-19 postponed the ceremony to this summer. The duo will be joined by fellow 2020 class members Justin Morneau and Jacques Doucet, as well as 2022 inductee Jeff Francis.

On their way to the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame, John Olerud and Duane Ward recalled the best moments of their time together with the Toronto Blue Jays

On a Zoom with all of the new members of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame, both Olerud and Ward reflected on the time they spent together with the Toronto Blue Jays between 1989 and 1993, as well as the 1995 season. Ward missed all of 1994 with biceps tendinitis then pitched just four games into the 1995 season before retiring.

“I was super fortunate when I came on with the Blue Jays to have a team that was in a pennant race and competing for division titles and getting the World Series,” said Olerud, who debuted with the Blue Jays on September 3, 1989, and would help the team win two World Series during his eight years with the franchise. “And the thing I remember about Duane was what a dominant pitcher he was. If we didn’t have Tom Henke there, he would have been a closer. He could have been a closer on any team in the league. Every time he came in late in a game, he would always shut the other team down.

“I’d have guys coming down (to first base) asking, ‘That’s a split finger, isn’t it?’ I’d say to him (Ward), ‘They’re asking about the split finger’ and he goes, ‘No, that’s the slider. I don’t throw a split finger.’ He was just always so dominant and we were so fortunate to have such a great bullpen. I really didn’t have to worry about fielding much because the ball didn’t get put in play very much when Wardo was on the hill.”

Ward would finish his Toronto career with 650.2 innings pitched and 121 saves, including an American League-high 45 in 1993, his lone All-Star season.

On the Zoom call, Ward smiled as Olerud gushed about his time on the Toronto Blue Jays with him, then quickly returned the favor.

“What I can remember so much about John was that the fact that we had heard that this kid came in from out of college right to the big league level, and I think we were more interested in trying to figure out how good he was. How good was he going to be? Was he going to be a great asset to our team? But John carried himself so well, in the clubhouse on the field, just by his work ethic. I don’t think I ever saw John ever pull up run into first base on a ground ball out or base hit or anything. He always ran through the bag, and just set an example for the rest of the other guys on the team to follow,” Ward remembered.

Ward also recalled the pressure Olerud was under when he was chasing the .400 batting average mark during a magical 1993 season where Olerud would end up leading the American League with a .363 average, 1.072 OPS, and 186 OPS+. His 54 doubles that season led all of Major League Baseball.

“The biggest thing I remember most was how well he handled almost hitting .400. I’m sure his stomach and nerves and everything else was just going crazy, but that year was one incredible, incredible year,” Ward said. “I had the pleasure to sit behind the left field fence or right field fence and watch John. It was an honor because it was just absolutely unbelievable how many hits this guy got that year.”