Major League Baseball and the Chicago Cubs announced the passing of Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg, who died at the age of 65. In January 2024, Sandberg disclosed that he had been diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer, a battle he faced leading up to his untimely demise.

Throughout his illustrious career, Sandberg played 16 seasons in Major League Baseball, spending notable years with the Philadelphia Phillies and Chicago Cubs. He earned accolades as a 10-time All-Star and a single-time Most Valuable Player, alongside a distinguished collection of nine Gold Glove awards and seven Silver Slugger awards. Sandberg's significant contributions to the game included leading the National League in runs three times, homering 40 times in 1990, and achieving the highest wins above replacement (WAR) in 1984 with a remarkable score of 8.5. During that same season, he also topped all of baseball with 19 triples, solidifying his position as one of the game's greats.

With a career batting average of .285, Sandberg totaled 282 home runs, 1,061 runs batted in, and 344 stolen bases. His legacy as one of the most iconic Chicago Cubs players and one of the finest second basemen in baseball history is well-established, exemplified through his excellence both offensively and defensively. Following the news of his passing, tributes poured in from the baseball community. Cubs infielder Nico Hoerner remarked on Sandberg's incredible consistency and longevity, stating, 'He's definitely his own standard. Talk about a player that did everything on the baseball field.' This reverence reflects the deep bond between Sandberg and Cubs fans, as he famously expressed, 'I truly lived my field of dreams right here at Wrigley Field' during his farewell season in 1997.