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Wilbur Wood pitched major league baseball 17 years. How did that affect his lifespan? He died Jan. 16, 2026, at 84.

What is the life span of former major league baseball players compared with overall population?

Put that question to AI, and this is the answer:

“Former Major League Baseball players generally live longer than the average American man, often by about 4 to 5 years, or even up to 12.6 years in some analyses, due to superior fitness, higher income and better access to healthcare.

“However, longer careers can correlate with higher cancer risk, while shorter careers might see more neurogenerative issues.

“A Harvard study found MLB players have a 24% less premature death risk than the general male population, and even live longer than professional football players, likely due to fewer head impacts.”