Ron Hunt, the first player in New York Mets history to start an All-Star Game, has died. He was 85.
The Mets announced the news on July 17, 2026, saying they were “saddened to share the news of the passing of Ron Hunt.” Hunt spent the first four seasons of his 12-year major league career with the franchise, from 1963 through 1966, and became the club’s first All-Star starter. He represented the National League at second base in 1964 and 1966.
Hunt’s name still carries a certain kind of baseball lore. He wasn’t known for power, but he did hit 10 of his 39 career home runs as a rookie in 1963.
What really set him apart was how often the ball seemed to find him. Hunt led his league in hit by pitches seven times, including 50 in the 1971 season alone, and his 243 career beanings rank sixth all-time.
“Some folks give their bodies to science,” Hunt once said. “I gave mine to baseball.”
Former Mets pitcher Jack Fisher remembered him through Jay Horwitz with a simple, blunt tribute: “(Hunt) did everything to help us win,” Fisher told Horwitz. “He was just the ultimate competitor.”
Hunt finished his MLB career with the Dodgers in 1967, the Giants from 1968-70, the Expos from 1971-74 and the Cardinals in 1974. He retired with a .273/.368/.347 slash line in 1,483 games.
A St. Louis native, Hunt signed with the Milwaukee Braves after high school and spent four years in their farm system, reaching Double-A before a Mets scout brought him into the first-year franchise. He was sent straight to the majors and quickly became one of the best players on a Mets team that struggled badly in those early years.
The New York Post reported in 2019 that Hunt had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. Horwitz said Hunt had also been dealing with multiple illnesses.
After baseball, Hunt returned to his farm in Wentzville, Missouri, where he opened liquor and sporting goods stores and also farmed. In 1987, he started the Ron Hunt Eagles Baseball Association for local youth.
He is survived by his wife Jackie, their daughter Tracy and their son, Ron Jr.
In Other News…
Dodgers May Finally Have The Young Arm This Rotation Needs
With the All-Star break arriving and the Dodgers sitting atop the standings, the front office can afford to think beyond the next series and look for ways to deepen a rotation that has already carried the club through the first half. One name that keeps coming up is River Ryan, the right-hander whose return from a long rehab path has been a patient project for the organization and a reminder of how much upside still sits in the system.
Andrew Friedman has made it clear the club will not rush the process, even with the temptation to add a young arm if Ryan keeps progressing. The Dodgers want the move to matter in the stretch run and beyond, not just for a quick fix, which is why his next steps will be watched closely as he works toward a possible big-league role later this season.
Dodgers Suddenly Face A Veteran Exit And A Bigger Roster Crossroads
The Dodgers pitching depth took another turn this week when a veteran left-hander elected free agency after being designated for assignment to make room for Landon Knack coming off the injured list. It is the kind of roster churn that has become familiar for a club trying to keep enough arms available while also waiting on bigger-picture reinforcements, and it adds another layer to a staff that has spent much of the season juggling roles and health.
Freddie Freeman also offered a reminder that the Dodgers present is still very much the priority, saying he is focused on this season while hoping to get to 20 major league years before even thinking seriously about retirement. Meanwhile, Dave Roberts acknowledged that Eric Lauers place in the rotation picture could change as injured starters work their way back, leaving open the possibility that a pitcher who has helped stabilize the middle of the staff could become part of a deadline conversation before Aug.
Another Contender Could Steal Tarik Skubal From The Dodgers
Tarik Skubal has become one of the most intriguing names on the trade market as the deadline approaches, and the Dodgers have been viewed as a natural fit if Detroit decides to move the reigning ace. The appeal is easy to understand from Los Angeles side: a frontline starter with the kind of arm that can change a postseason series, especially for a club always looking to deepen its rotation for October.
But the Dodgers may not have a clear path to him. Milwaukee and Philadelphia are also positioned to push hard, which could turn this into a more aggressive bidding war than expected, and Skubals looming free agency only adds to the urgency for any contender considering a swing. For the Dodgers, that means a potential difference-maker is still on the board, even if the price and the competition could make the chase far more complicated than it first appeared.