Former MLB pitcher dies in OKC hospital

NewsOK.com
Published: October 14, 2008

Kevin Foster, who broke into the major leagues as an infielder and later converted to a pitcher, has died of cancer. He was 39.

His brother, Mark, said Kevin Foster died in an Oklahoma City hospital on Saturday after a six-month bout with renal cell carcinoma.

Raised in the Chicago suburb of Evanston, Foster was selected by the Montreal Expos in the 29th round of the 1987 amateur draft. The right-hander was traded to the Seattle Mariners and the Philadelphia Phillies, where he broke in the major leagues in 1993.

Foster spent five seasons with the Cubs after being acquired from Philadelphia for Shawn Boskie in 1994, going 32-28 from 1994 to 1998. His best season as a Cub came in 1995, when he was 12-11 with a 4.51 earned run average.

Foster battled arm injuries after 1997, and made a brief comeback with Texas in 2001. He was working as a truck driver at the time of his death.

In addition to his brother, Foster is survived by four sons, and three sisters. Divorced, he was engaged to be married.