Kerry Wood Net Worth

Kerry Lee Wood (born June 16, 1977) is an American former baseball pitcher who played 14 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago Cubs, Cleveland Indians, and New York Yankees. Wood first came to prominence as a 20-year-old rookie, when he recorded 20 strikeouts in a one-hit shutout against the Houston Astros, which some have argued may be the greatest single-game pitching performance in MLB history. The game also made Wood the co-holder of the MLB record for strikeouts in a single game (20) and earned Wood the nickname Kid K. He was later named the 1998 National League Rookie of the Year.

Wood went on to record over 200 strikeouts in four out of his first five seasons, with a high of 266 in 2003. He holds several MLB strikeout records. Though he struggled with injuries throughout his career, Wood was twice named an All-Star. Wood transitioned to a relief pitcher in 2007 due to continued struggles with injuries, ultimately reviving his career as a closer. During his career, Wood was placed on the disabled list 14 times in 14 major league seasons, which included missing the entire 1999 season due to Tommy John surgery. After a slow start to the 2012 season, Wood retired on May 18, 2012.

What is Kerry Wood’s Net Worth?

Kerry Wood is a retired American baseball player who has a net worth of $40 million. Kerry Wood played 14 seasons in Major League Baseball for the Chicago Cubs, Cleveland Indians, and New York Yankees. As a 20-year-old rookie, he struck out 20 batters in a one-hit shutout against the Houston Astros, which some consider one of the greatest pitching performances in baseball history.

Early life

Wood attended MacArthur High School in Irving, Texas, for his first three seasons of high-school baseball. He continued his education at Grand Prairie High School for his final season as a high-school player. Wood was high-school teammates with Kevin Walker. He initially committed to play college baseball at McLennan Community College in Waco.

MLB Career

Kerry Wood spent the first three years of his professional career in the minor leagues where in 1996 he posted a 10-2 record for the Daytona Cubs. He made his big league debut in April 1998 and burst onto the scene. He was just a 20-year old rookie when he completed 20 strikeouts in a one-hit shutout against the Houston Astros in 1998. According to some, Wood’s feat may be the greatest single-game pitching performance in MLB history. Thus, he became co-holder of the MLB record for strikeouts in a single game (20) and got the nickname Kid K. The same year, Wood was also named the 1998 National League Rookie of the Year. He would go on to record over 200 strikeouts in 4 out of his initial 5 seasons. Furthermore, he broke several MLB strikeout records and was twice named an All-Star (2003, 2008) despite being injured several times throughout his career, including missing the entire 1999 campaign due to Tommy John surgery. He went on to play for the Cleveland Indians and the New York Yankees before returning for a second stint with the Cubs. After fourteen years of professional baseball play, Wood retired on May 18, 2012.

Contracts & Career Earnings

Wood signed a three-year, $32.5 million extension with the Chicago Cubs in 2004. In December 2008, he inked a two-year deal worth $20.5 million with the Cleveland Indians. In 2012, he signed a one-year contract with the Cubs for $3 million in what would be his final season playing baseball.

Over the course of his MLB career, Kerry Wood earned $76.8 million in salary alone.

Personal Life

Kerry Wood is married to Sarah Pates, and the couple has a son, Justin, and two daughters, Katie and Charlotte, together. The family resided in the Old Town neighborhood of Chicago up until 2008.

While playing for the Cubs, Wood hosted Kerry Wood’s Strike Zone, a celebrity bowling tournament which featured a silent auction that raised over $2 million for charity.

Real Estate

In 2015 Kerry and his wife paid $4.23 million for a home in Winnetka, Illinois. They listed the 11,000 square foot home for sale in July 2019 for $4.39 million.

In 2017 the Woods sold a 9,000 square foot mansion situated on 102 feet of lake frontage on Geneva Lake, Wisconsin for $4.75 million. They sold this property in September 2019 for $4.599 million.