Pedro Gómez, an ESPN reporter since 2003 and one of the country’s top baseball journalists, died suddenly on Sunday. He was 58 years old.
Gomez, who was based in Phoenix, covered baseball for SportsCenter, Baseball Tonight and other ESPN study programs, live events and radio. During his 35-year career, he covered more than 25 World Series and more than 20 All-Star Games.
“We are shocked and saddened to learn that our friend and colleague Pedro Gomez has died,” said Jimmy Pitaro, president of ESPN and Sports Content. “Pedro was an elite journalist at the highest level and his professional achievements are universally recognized. Most importantly, Pedro was a kind and dear friend to all of us. Our hearts are with Peter’s family and with all those who love him at this extraordinarily difficult time. “
Gómez is survived by his wife, Sandra, his sons Rio and Dante, and his daughter Serra.
“Peter was much more than a media personality,” his family said in a statement. “He was a father, a loving husband, a loyal friend, a coach and a mentor. He was our all and the greatest believer of his children.”
The son of Cuban parents who arrived in Miami just before he was born, Gomez was part of the chain’s historic coverage in 2016 when the Tampa Bay Rays faced the Cuban national team in Havana. He returned the ashes of his father and brother to the family home on this trip. He also covered a U.S. men’s soccer game in Havana in 2008 for ESPN, and an exhibition game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Cuban team in 1999.
In addition, he was a vital part of Barry Bonds ‘chain coverage from 2005 to 2007, including coverage of Bonds’ chase to break Hank Aaron’s home run record in 2007.
Gomez even narrated play-by-play for an ESPN baseball game in 2014. He said his favorite event to cover was Game 6 of the 2003 National League Championship Series, when the Chicago fan Cubs Steve Bartman approached and tried to catch a 1 p.m. foul on Cubs quarterback Moisès Alou in a playoff game against the Miami Marlins, who scored eight runs in the inning and forced a game 7 in the series.
Prior to joining ESPN, Gomez wrote for Miami News, San Diego Union, San Jose Mercury News, Miami Herald and Sacramento Bee, specializing in baseball coverage, before becoming a columnist and writer for national baseball to Arizona Republic in 1997.
Among the teams he covered as a writer were the Oakland Athletics of Rickey Henderson, Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire, among others. Gomez once told journalist Jeff Pearlman that it was as if “we were traveling with the [Rolling] Stones “.
He was an award-winning journalist, including a top prize from the Associated Press’s Arizona Publishers ’Association for“ Discovering the Home I Never Met ”about his trip to Cuba in 1999.
Gomez was born in Miami and attended Miami-Dade Community College, where he found his passion for journalism, and the University of Miami.