Justin Verlander Epic Speech After ALDS Win 'We F***ing Grinded!!!'

101223_justin_verlander-KAL
"pop these motherf***ers"
FS1

Justin Verlander delivered a speech for the ages following the Astros' American League Division Series win Wednesday night ... dropping F-bombs everywhere -- before dousing his teammates with booze!!!

The epic moment -- which somehow went uncensored on television -- happened in Houston's locker room following its 3-2 Game 4 victory over the Twins in Minnesota.

Manager Dusty Baker didn't want to address his team in-depth following the victory -- he said he was waiting for the World Series to do that -- so Verlander stepped in ... and it's safe to say he got the guys riled up.

Verlander said the F-word six times ... while mixing in an S-word as well.

To cap it all off, he told his teammates to "pop these motherf***ers" -- referring to bottles of champagne -- on the count of seven ... and when he hit a beat after six, the party was on.

Bubbly flew everywhere -- and the locker room festivities then raged on for the next few minutes.

Of course, it'll be back to work soon for the 'Stros ... the American League Championship Series against the Rangers begins on Sunday -- but that certainly leaves a couple more days to celebrate their seventh straight trip to ALCS!!

Max Scherzer Celebrates ALDS Win ... Beer Showers For All!!!

Max Scherzer partied HARD after his Rangers won the American League Division Series on Tuesday night ... soaking his teammate in bottles of beer -- and video from the scene is awesome!!

The star pitcher -- who didn't get to throw in the ALDS against the Baltimore Orioles due to a shoulder injury -- made sure he knew he appreciated his teammates' efforts in securing the series sweep by going absolutely HAM in the postgame locker room.

Scherzer was seen getting booze poured all over him ... before he returned the favor on Austin Hedges -- dousing him with a couple Budweisers.

After the alcohol-marinated festivities died down just a bit, Scherzer told reporters he's now hopeful he'll be able to pitch against either the Astros or the Twins next week with a spot in the World Series on the line.

101123_rangers_celebration_beer_kal
BEER BONANZA
X/@Rangers

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the clubhouse, other Texas players made sure their win over the O's was a memorable one as well ... cracking open bottle after bottle of champagne and pouring it everywhere.

The amazing news for all of the partying Rangers? They'll have at least a couple days off before the American League Championship Series begins ... which means plenty of time to sleep off the hangover!

Steve Garvey Tommy Lasorda Helping Inspire Senate Run ... 'You Gotta Believe!!!'

101023-steve-garvey-kal
SERVING THE PEOPLE
TMZSports.com

Dodgers great Steve Garvey is channeling his inner Tommy Lasorda on the campaign trail ... telling TMZ Sports he's evoking the late Hall of Fame manager's legendary mentality as he runs for U.S. Senate in California.

74-year-old Garvey is sliding into politics as he aims to fill the late Dianne Feinstein's seat next year ... and while a Republican hasn't held the position in decades, he is confident he can be the one to change that.

"Everybody has always said, 'Oh, you want to run for the Senate in California? Well, that's probably the most difficult race in America. Good luck, God bless, but if anybody can do it, you can,' which I think it was always encouraging," Garvey tells us.

In fact, the World Series champion says he's been getting love from some rival fan bases who used to boo him on the baseball diamond ... which was one sign he needed to run.

"Recently, I had a San Francisco Giants fan come up to me and say, ‘Garvey, I hate the Dodgers, but I'm gonna vote for you,'" Garvey added. "And I think that closed the deal."

"That and having Democrats come up and say they've never voted for a Republican, conservative, but I'm gonna vote for you because I know you, I know you care about me and my family. And we need your voice in Washington."

Garvey says he's running a common sense campaign ... and quality-of-life issues, public safety and education will be his main focus in office.

As for his former teammates, Garvey says the responses he's been getting from them have been "heartwarming" ... and they'll love the message he'll convey as he connects with Californians before they hit the voting booths -- as it's one they have heard before.

"Tommy Lasorda, a great manager and father figure and Hall of Famer, he used to say in key moments, 'You gotta believe.' Maybe that's going to be our theme. You know, everybody's saying, 'Oh, no, you can't win in California.' But we believe, and the people are going to believe that I can go to Washington and represent them."

Lasorda is one of the all-time greats -- he won two World Series titles as the Dodgers' skipper ... and the organization retired his No. 2 jersey in 1997.

Garvey added ... "So you'll see a lot of videos with people saying I believe in Steve Garvey, and then of course, the biggest one is, I believe in the people in California."

STEVE GARVEY TOMMY LASORDA AYUDA A INSPIRAR LA CANDIDATURA AL SENADO "¡Tienes que creer!"

101023-steve-garvey-kal
sirviendo a la gente
TMZSports.com

El gran Steve Garvey está canalizando al Tommy Lasorda que lleva dentro en la campaña. Le informó a TMZ Sports que está evocando la mentalidad del legendario miembro del Salón de la Fama mientras se postula para el Senado de EE.UU. en California.

Garvey, de 74 años de edad, se desliza en la política y aspira a ocupar el escaño de la difunta Dianne Feinstein el próximo año y mientras que un republicano no ha ocupado el cargo en décadas, confía en que puede ser el que cambie eso.

"Todo el mundo me ha dicho siempre: 'Oh, ¿quieres presentarte al Senado por California? Bueno, probablemente sea la carrera más difícil de Estados Unidos. Buena suerte, que Dios te bendiga, pero si alguien puede hacerlo, eres tú', lo que creo que siempre ha sido alentador", nos cuenta Garvey.

De hecho, el campeón de la Serie Mundial dice que ha estado recibiendo el amor de algunos fans rivales que solían abuchearlo en el diamante de béisbol. Esto sería una señal para él de que debía postularse.

"Hace poco, un aficionado de los Gigantes de San Francisco se me acercó y me dijo: 'Garvey, odio a los Dodgers, pero voy a votar por ti', añadió Garvey. "Creo que eso fue muy importante para mí".

"Eso y que los demócratas se acerquen y me digan que nunca han votado a un republicano conservador, pero que van a votarme porque me conocen, saben que me preocupo por ellos y por sus familias y necesitan mi voz en Washington".

Garvey dice que está ejecutando una campaña de sentido común y las cuestiones de calidad de vida, la seguridad pública y la educación serán su principal objetivo en el cargo.

En cuanto a sus excompañeros de equipo, Garvey dice que las respuestas que ha estado recibiendo de ellos han sido "conmovedoras" y les encantará el mensaje que va a transmitir cuando se conecta con los californianos antes de que lleguen a las urnas, ya que es uno que han escuchado antes.

"Tommy Lasorda, un gran entrenador, figura paterna y miembro del Salón de la Fama, solía decir en los momentos clave: 'Tienes que creer'. Tal vez ese vaya a ser nuestro lema, ya sabes, todo el mundo dice, 'Oh, no, no puedes ganar en California', pero nosotros creemos y la gente va a creer que puedo ir a Washington y representarlos".

Lasorda es uno de los grandes de todos los tiempos, ganó dos títulos de la Serie Mundial como capitán de los Dodgers y la organización retiró su camiseta No. 2 en 1997.

Garvey añadió: "Así que verás un montón de videos con gente diciendo: 'Creo en Steve Garvey', y luego por supuesto el más grande es, 'Creo en la gente de California"'.

Bob Costas Saves Restaurant-Goer's Life ... Quick-Thinking Heimlich!!!

Bob Costas is apparently just as good in life-or-death situations as he is in the broadcasting booth ... 'cause he recently saved a restaurant-goer from choking.

A rep for Costas says the Hall of Fame play-by-play man was out grabbing a bite to eat when he noticed a fellow diner gasping for air -- so he raced in to help out.

According to the rep, the 71-year-old performed the Heimlich maneuver ... saving the person's life. But, afterward, he made it clear he wasn't looking for accolades.

"Bob doesn’t think this was that big of a deal," the rep told Page Six.

"He really feels he did what just about anyone else would do in a similar situation."

Costas -- who's been broadcasting MLB playoff games this month -- has yet to publicly comment on the heroic deed.

BOB COSTAS SALVA LA VIDA DE UN PERSONA

Bob Costas es tan bueno en situaciones de vida o muerte como lo es en la cabina de transmisión. Recientemente le salvó la vida a una persona en un restaurante.

Un representante de Costas dice que el hombre del Salón de la Fama estaba comiendo algo cuando vio a un comensal atorado con su comida, así que corrió a ayudar.

Según el representante, el hombre de 71 años realizó la maniobra de Heimlich salvando la vida de la persona. Costas dejó claro que no buscaba elogios.

"Bob no cree que fuera para tanto", dijo el representante a Page Six.

"Realmente siente que hizo lo que casi cualquier otra persona haría en una situación similar".

Costas —que ha estado retransmitiendo los partidos de playoffs de la MLB este mes— aún no ha comentado públicamente la heroica hazaña.

Steve Garvey Announces U.S. Senate Run ... 'Common Sense Campaign'

Former L.A. Dodgers star Steve Garvey is swinging for the fences in a whole different field -- the World Series champ officially announced he's running for U.S. Senate in California.

The 10-time All-Star and National League MVP launched his campaign with a number of sports references on Tuesday ... saying, "In baseball, it's not about the individual; it's about the team."

"I believe the same holds true for politics. It's time we come together, find common ground, and work towards a brighter future."

74-year-old Garvey -- who is a newbie to politics -- explains he has always had a passion for leaving an impact on the community ... and has used his platform to help numerous charitable efforts off the field. Now, he's ready to bring his state back to where he feels it should be.

“Over 50 years ago, I came to California for the first time ... September 1st of 1969, the Dodgers called me up and my dreams came true," Garvey says.

"Over the next 20 years, I played for the Dodgers and the San Diego Padres. I played in front of millions of fans. I never played for Democrats or Republicans or independents."

"I played for all of you. Now I'm running for the U.S. Senate in California. A state that I believe at one time was the heartbeat of America. And now it's just a murmur."

Garvey -- who is running as a Republican -- is calling his run a "common sense campaign" ... focusing on quality-of-life issues, public safety and education as he attempts to take over for Dianne Feinstein, who passed away last month.

It's not going to be easy for Garvey -- California hasn't elected a Republican to a Senate seat since the '80s -- but he seems down for the challenge.

Baltimore Orioles Field Invader Body Slammed By Guard ... Carried Out

A field invader at the Orioles game on Saturday was speared by a security guard, body slammed to the ground like a rag doll ... and then carried out by his arms and legs -- and the wild scene was all captured on video.

The man -- wearing nothing but tiny briefs with the words "Virginity Rocks" on them -- stormed the Camden Yards turf in the eighth inning of Baltimore's playoff opener against the Texas Rangers.

You can see in clips filmed by fans in the stands ... the man raced out onto the field for several seconds -- before a guard ended his run prematurely with a perfect form tackle.

Somehow, though, the man got up to his feet -- which forced security to hurl him right back to the grass like a WWE wrestler. Seconds later, another guard came in and helped carry the guy to a nearby police officer, who put handcuffs on the man.

He was later seen being escorted away from the field ... before play ultimately resumed.

Despite the excitement and the shot of adrenaline from the scene ... Baltimore ended up losing both of its games against the Rangers this weekend -- and will now head to Texas to try to even things up.

Hopefully, everyone's now learned to keep their clothes and their butts in their seats there.

Hombre invade el campo de juego desnudo seguridad lo golpea y lo expulsa

Un invasor del campo en el partido de los Orioles el sábado fue tacleado por un guardia de seguridad y golpeado contra el suelo como un muñeco de trapo. Luego lo tomaron de los brazos y piernas para expulsarlo y ¡todo quedó capturado en vídeo!

El hombre; que llevaba nada más que unos calzoncillos diminutos con las palabras "Virginity Rocks", irrumpió en el césped de Camden Yards en la octava entrada del primer partido de playoffs de Baltimore contra los Rangers de Texas.

Se puede ver en los clips filmados por los aficionados en las gradas que el hombre corrió hacia el campo durante varios segundos justo antes de que un guardia pusiera fin a su carrera con un tacleo perfecto.

De algún modo, el hombre se puso en pie, lo que obligó a los guardias a arrojarlo de nuevo al césped como si se tratara de una lucha de la WWE. Segundos más tarde, otro guardia llegó y ayudó a llevar al hombre a un agente de policía cercano que finalmente le puso las esposas.

Más tarde fue visto siendo escoltado fuera del campo antes de que el juego finalmente se reanudara.

A pesar de la emoción y la inyección de adrenalina de la escena, Baltimore terminó perdiendo sus dos partidos contra los Rangers este fin de semana y ahora se dirigirá a Texas para tratar de igualar las cosas.

Esperemos que todo el mundo haya aprendido a mantener la ropa y el culo en sus asientos.

HINCHA GASTA $4.500 EN CERVEZA ¡Para toda la sección!

100523_phillies_game-KAL
¡cerveza para todos!

Un fan en el partido de playoffs de los Phillies del miércoles se sentía MUY generoso, e invitó a toda una sección del público a cervezas, ¡gastando $4.500!

El inusual moomento tuvo lugar durante el partido de los Marlins y los Phillies de la serie NL Wild Card en el Citizens Bank Park, cuando un vendedor de cerveza hizo el anuncio más dulce que una multitud podría escuchar jamás: ¡alguien compró un montón de Miller Lite para la sección!

"Saquen sus identificaciones", gritó el vendedor: "¡Aquí tienen!"

"¡Cerveza gratis! Cortesía de un caballero que no quiere ser nombrado".

Como te puedes imaginar, los aficionados agradecieron mucho el gesto e incluso empezaron a animar esperando que el comprador secreto de cerveza les escuchara.

"¡Gracias por la cerveza gratis! Wooooo!", gritó un aficionado mientras otro bromeaba: "¡Mal día para ser una lata de Miller Light!".

No es la primera vez esta semana que los aficionados de los Phillies han recibido cerveza gratis. 26 bares de Filadelfia repartieron Miller Lite gratis durante el primer partido de la WC Series el martes.

Para añadir la guinda al pastel, los Phillies volaron a los Marlins y ahora avanzarán para enfrentarse a los Bravos de Atlanta en una revancha NLDS a partir del sábado ¡Es la hora de Miller! 💪

Phillies Fan Drops $4,500 On Beer ... For Whole Section At Phillies Game!

100523_phillies_game-KAL
FREE BEER

A fan at Wednesday's Phillies playoff game was feelin' VERY generous ... 'cause the stranger hooked up an entire section with $4,500 worth of beer -- and they were lit!!!!

The booze gift givin' went down during the Marlins-Phillies NL Wild Card series game at Citizens Bank Park ... when a beer vendor made just about the sweetest announcement a crowd could ever hear -- someone purchased a bunch of Miller Lite for the section!

"Have your IDs out," the vendor yelled ... "Here you go!"

"Free beer! Courtesy of a gentleman that doesn't wanna be named."

As you can imagine, the fans were very appreciative of the gesture ... and even started cheering, hoping the secret beer buyer would hear.

"Thank you for the free beer! Wooooo!" one fan yelled ... while another one joked, "Bad day to be a Miller Light can!"

It's not even the first time this week that Phillies fans have been on the receiving end of some free suds. 26 bars across Philly handed out free Miller Lite during Game 1 of the WC Series on Tuesday.

To add icing on the cake, the Phillies blew out the Marlins ... and will now advance to face the Atlanta Braves in an NLDS rematch starting on Saturday.

It's Miller time!!! 💪

MLB Playoff Teams Create New Food Concoctions ... Glazed Donut Sandwich & The 'Schwarburger!!!'

MLB playoff teams are making sure their fans are well fed as they watch their favorite squads push for a World Series title this month ... putting out some new food items that include glazed donuts and a whole lotta meat!

The Braves, Orioles, Astros, Dodgers, Brewers, Twins, Phillies and Rangers all each announced they'll have some zany concoctions at their concession stands throughout their postseason runs this fall.

Perhaps the most notable of the bunch is Atlanta's "Chicken ain't nothing but a bird Blue" sandwich -- which includes three glazed donuts, pickled green tomatoes and two fried chicken breasts ... all topped off with some powdered sugar.

Not to be outdone ... Philadelphia also revealed its "SchwarBurger" -- a gargantuan burger they put out to honor designated hitter Kyle Schwarber.

The sandwich contains beef, smoked brisket, cheese, bacon, onion rings and a whole lot more. And, according to the Phils, it'll be sold for a good cause ... with some of the proceeds benefitting Schwarber's Neighborhood Heroes.

Some of the other cool dishes include fried Walleye sliders in Minnesota, a fried chicken sausage in Milwaukee and some loaded mini corn dogs in Houston.

The playoffs officially kicked off on Tuesday ... now who's hungry?!?

Trevor Bauer, Lindsey Hill Agree To Settle Lawsuits ... Against Each Other

update

11:33 AM PT -- Trevor Bauer's attorneys, Shawn Holley and Jon Fetterolf, released a statement to TMZ Sports ... saying, "Trevor Bauer and Lindsey Hill have settled all outstanding litigation. Both of their respective claims have been withdrawn with prejudice, effective today."

"Mr. Bauer did not make – and never has made – any payments to Ms. Hill, including to resolve their litigation. With this matter now at rest, Mr. Bauer can focus completely on baseball."

Bauer also made a video statement on the matter ... saying he hopes it is the last time he has to defend his integrity and reputation in a public setting.

100223_trevor_bauer_kal
SHOWING THE PROOF

"So today I’m happy to be moving on with my life," Bauer said.

Trevor Bauer and his accuser Lindsey Hill's days of battling in court appear over ... both the Cy Young winner and Hill have decided to settle their lawsuits, TMZ Sports has learned.

Hill is NOT paying Bauer and Bauer is NOT paying her, either. But, Lindsey is receiving a large sum of money from her own insurance company, according to her high-powered attorney Bryan Freedman.

"In April 2022, Trevor Bauer sued Lindsey Hill for defamation. In what turned out to be an outstanding resolution for Lindsey, neither Lindsey nor anyone on her behalf paid anything to Bauer. Not a single dollar," Freedman told us.

"Even better, Lindsey received $300,000 from her insurance company. Based on that payment, Lindsey agreed to settle the lawsuit. Now that the lawsuit is over, Lindsey looks forward to helping others."

Of course, Bauer filed the defamation lawsuit against Hill in April 2022 ... claiming she "fabricated allegations of sexual assault" in a plot designed to “destroy Mr. Bauer’s reputation and baseball career.”

A few months later, Hill filed a countersuit for battery against Bauer ... claiming he got physical with her on two occasions in April and May.

After more than a year of battling in court, the parties have decided to settle and move on.

Trevor is currently pitching for the Yokohama DeNA BayStars in Japan. Despite never having been charged with a crime in relation to Hill's allegations, Major League Baseball suspended Bauer for 324 games. The suspension was subsequently reduced to 194 games.

Technically, Bauer is now eligible to sign with an MLB team, though it remains to be seen if anyone's interested.

Originally Published -- 10:34 AM PT

TIM WAKEFIELD FALLECE A LOS 57 Días después de que Schilling revelara su diagnóstico

El lanzador de Tim Wakefield, dos veces campeón de la Serie Mundial, ha fallecido a la edad de 57 años. Solo unos días después de que su excompañero de equipo, Curt Schilling, revelara que el veterano lanzador estaba luchando contra el cáncer cerebral.

Los Boston Red Sox, el equipo de Wakefield durante casi todas sus 19 temporadas en las Grandes Ligas (pasó sus primeros días con los Pirates), anunciaron la devastadora noticia en redes sociales.

"Nuestros corazones están destrozados por la pérdida de Tim Wakefield", escribieron los Red Sox.

"Wake personificaba la verdadera bondad; un esposo, padre y compañero de equipo dedicado. Además de ser un querido locutor y el líder definitivo de la comunidad. Dio mucho al juego y a toda la Nación de los Red Sox".

"Nuestro amor más profundo y nuestros pensamientos están con Stacy, Trevor, Brianna y la familia Wakefield".

En el montículo, Wakefield era casi imbatible gracias a su knuckleball. Ganó 200 juegos y se retiró con una efectividad de 4.41. Tim ponchó a más de 2,100 bateadores y fue seleccionado para el Juego de Estrellas en 2009.

Ganó dos Series Mundiales en 2004 y 2007.

Wakefield se retiró en 2011 y más tarde fue incluido en el Salón de la Fama de los Red Sox.

Por supuesto, no se sabía públicamente que el ex All-Star estaba enfermo hasta que Schilling, en su podcast la semana pasada, reveló que Tim estaba luchando contra el cáncer y peleando por su vida, aparentemente en contra de los deseos de la familia Wakefield.

092823_curt_schilling_kal
pidiendo oraciónes
The Curt Schilling Baseball Show

Curt incluso reconoció: "Ni siquiera sé si él quiere que se comparta", pero explicó que era cristiano y comentó: "He visto que la oración funciona así que voy a hablar de ello".

Schilling catalogó la enfermedad como "una forma muy grave y muy agresiva de cáncer cerebral".

100123_tmz_live_wakefield_092823_kal 9/28/23
una total falta de consideración
TMZ.com

Muchos se indignaron por las acciones de Schilling. La esposa de Jason Varitek, Catherine, criticó al ganador de la Serie Mundial. Los Red Sox también condenaron a Curt, diciendo: "La salud es un asunto profundamente personal que tenían la intención de mantener en privado mientras navegan por el tratamiento y trabajan para combatir esta enfermedad".

El equipo de las Grandes Ligas agregó que los Wakefield estaban pidiendo "privacidad en este momento".

Lamentablemente, tan solo tres días después, el legendario lanzador de knuckleball (tipo de lanzamiento en el que la pelota se mueve de manera irregular para dificultar al bateador) y padre de dos hijos falleció.

Muchos miembros de la comunidad del béisbol han comenzado a reaccionar ante esta terrible noticia, con el excompañero de equipo de Tim, Kevin Youkilis, resumiendo perfectamente a Wakefield.

"Fue un gran compañero de equipo y simplemente un gran amigo".

Descansa en paz.

Tim Wakefield Dead At 57 Days After Schilling Revealed Diagnosis

Knuckleballer Tim Wakefield, a 2x World Series champion, has died at the age of 57 ... just days after former teammate Curt Schilling revealed the longtime starting pitcher was battling brain cancer.

The Boston Red Sox, Wakefield's team for all but two of his 19 MLB seasons (he spent his early days with the Pirates), announced the devastating news on social media.

"Our hearts are broken with the loss of Tim Wakefield," the BoSox wrote on X.

"Wake embodied true goodness; a devoted husband, father, and teammate, beloved broadcaster, and the ultimate community leader. He gave so much to the game and all of Red Sox Nation."

"Our deepest love and thoughts are with Stacy, Trevor, Brianna, and the Wakefield family."

On the mound, Wakefield could be nearly unhittable … thanks to his knuckleball. TW won 200 games and retired with a 4.41 ERA. Tim struck out over 2,100 batters and earned a trip to the All-Star Game in 2009.

He won two World Series in 2004 and 2007.

Wakefield retired in 2011 ... and was later inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame.

Of course, it wasn't publicly known that the former All-Star was sick until Schilling, on his podcast last week, revealed Tim was battling cancer and fighting for his life, seemingly against the Wakefield family's wishes.

092823_curt_schilling_kal
ASKING FOR PRAYERS
The Curt Schilling Baseball Show

Curt even acknowledged "I don't even know if he wants it shared," but explained he was Christian and remarked ... "I've seen prayer work and so I'm going to talk about it."

Schilling categorized the illness as "a very serious, very aggressive form of brain cancer."

100123_tmz_live_wakefield_092823_kal 9/28/23
COMPLETE DISREGARD
TMZ.com

Many were outraged by Schilling's actions ... Jason Varitek's wife, Catherine, blasted the World Series MVP-winning pitcher. The Red Sox also condemned Curt, saying, "Health is a deeply personal matter they intended to keep private as they navigate treatment and work to tackle this disease."

The MLB team added that the Wakefields were asking for "privacy at this time."

Sadly, just three days later, the legendary knuckleballer and father of two, passed away.

Many from the baseball community have begun reacting to the terrible news, with Tim's former teammate, Kevin Youkilis, summing Wakefield up perfectly.

"He was a great teammate and just a great friend."

RIP

Red Sox Legend Jason Varitek Wife Rips Curt Schilling ... 'F*** You' For Revealing Tim Wakefield's Cancer Diagnosis

UPDATE

10:29 AM PT -- The Red Sox just confirmed Curt Schilling did reveal Tim Wakefield's diagnosis without the former pitcher's permission ... saying in a statement Tim and his wife's "health is a deeply personal matter they intended to keep private as they navigate treatment and work to tackle this disease."

The MLB team added that the Wakefields are asking for "privacy at this time."

The wife of Red Sox legend Jason Varitek is furious with Curt Schilling for revealing Tim Wakefield's cancer diagnosis ... saying straight up on Thursday, "F*** you Curt Schilling."

The former Boston star pitcher leaked the news of Wakefield's tragic health condition on his "The Curt Schilling Baseball Show" podcast on Wednesday ... admitting at the time, "I don't even know if he wants it shared."

"But, as a Christian and a man of faith," Schilling continued, "I've seen prayer work and so I'm going to talk about it."

092823_curt_schilling_kal
ASKING FOR PRAYERS
The Curt Schilling Baseball Show

Schilling then revealed Wakefield -- a knuckleballer who starred for the Red Sox from 1995 to 2011 -- is battling "a very serious, very aggressive form of brain cancer."

Schilling went on to call the situation "incredibly serious" ... adding that Wakefield recently underwent surgery for the issue. Schilling then asked for prayers.

Many, however, slammed the former World Series MVP for leaking the diagnosis to the public before Wakefield could ... including Catherine Varitek, who tweeted, "F*** you Curt Schilling, that wasn’t your place!"

Schilling has yet to respond to the backlash.

For his part, Wakefield has not commented on the matter either.

Originally Published -- 9:06 AM PT