Julio Lugo, a former Red Sox shortstop, has died, according to ESPN. He was 45.
ESPN baseball writer Enrique Rojas shared on social media Monday that Lugo’s family informed him of Lugo’s passing and the probable cause, a heart attack.
Lugo played shortstop in the Red Sox’ 2007 World Series season, the first year of a four-year, $36 million contract he signed with the team as a free agent. Brought in to replace the defensively gifted Alex Gonzalez, Lugo was signed in part to provide more offense, particularly with his speed on the basepaths, in a position that had been filled on a long-term basis with no success since the 2004 trade of Nomar Garciaparra.