Former Major League Baseball shortstop Julio Lugo, who played an integral role on the Boston Red Sox's 2007 World Series championship team, has reportedly died at the age of 45.
ESPN's Enrique Rojas reports Lugo is presumed to have died of a heart attack, according to members of his family.
"Julio Lugo's family told me of the death of the former MLB player, presumably due to a heart attack. Lugo was 45 years old. #RIP," Rojas tweeted on Monday.
Lugo was set to celebrate his 46th birthday on Tuesday.
The Dominican Republic native played shortstop for seven MLB teams during his 12-year MLB career: the Houston Astros (2000-03; the Tampa Bay [Devil] Rays (2003-06); the Los Angeles Dodgers (2006); the Boston Red Sox (2007-09); the St. Louis Cardinals (2009); the Baltimore Orioles (2010); and the Atlanta Braves (2011).
Lugo made the most of his stint in Boston, winning his only World Series championship during his first season with the Red Sox, hitting for a .281 postseason average and delivering a walk-off hit in the famous 'Mother's Day Miracle' game to provide the final RBI of a six-run rally to defeat the Orioles, 6-5, after trailing 5-0 in the ninth inning.
Lugo returned to Fenway Park as part of the 2017 ceremony honoring the 10th anniversary of the 2007 World Series championship team, as well as during the 2018 Red Sox alumni game, which saw him hit a home run off of Pedro Martinez.