Michael August Timlin was born on March 10, 1966, in Midland, Texas, to Jerome Francis Timlin Sr. and Nancy Sharon Beyer. He graduated from Midland High School before playing college baseball at Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas.
Timlin was drafted in 1987 and began his professional career in the Toronto Blue Jays’ minor league system. He made his major league debut with the Blue Jays in 1991, appearing in 63 regular-season games and participating in the postseason.
He remained with Toronto through the 1997 season, after which he and Paul Spoljaric were traded to the Seattle Mariners. In 1998, Timlin recorded 19 saves for the Mariners and became a free agent following the season.
In 1999, Timlin signed with the Baltimore Orioles, where he earned 27 saves. After a short tenure with the St. Louis Cardinals, he joined the Philadelphia Phillies in 2002, pitching in 30 games with a 3.79 earned run average.
Timlin’s career took a significant turn in 2003 when he signed with the Boston Red Sox. Over five seasons, he played an integral role in the team’s success, contributing to three World Series championships in 2004, 2007, and 2013.
He had a brief stint with the Colorado Rockies in 2009 before retiring. Across an 18-season career, Timlin appeared in 1,058 games and was honored with the Lou Gehrig Memorial Award in 2007. Beyond his playing career, he organized “The Sharon Timlin Memorial 5K Race to Cure ALS” in memory of his mother. In 2010, Southwestern University inducted him into their Hall of Fame in recognition of his accomplishments.