Tim Wakefield demands ‘privacy’ after ex-teammate Curt Schilling shares cancer news without ‘permission’

The legendary Red Sox pitcher and his wife, Stacy Wakefield, have both been diagnosed with cancer, Schilling said on his podcast Tuesday.

Boston Red Sox legend Tim Wakefield and his wife are asking for “privacy” after former MLB pitcher Curt Schilling shared his cancer diagnosis on his podcast without their permission.

“We are aware of the statements and questions about the health of Tim and Stacy Wakefield,” the Red Sox said in a statement on behalf of the Wakefields shared with PEOPLE. “Unfortunately, this information was shared publicly without their permission. Their health is a deeply personal matter that they intended to keep private as they navigate treatment and work to address this disease.”

The statement continued: “Tim and Stacy are grateful for the support and love they have always been shown and respectfully request privacy at this time.”

On Tuesday, Schilling, 56, said further The Curt Schilling Baseball Show podcast that Tim — his Red Sox teammate from 2004-2007 — has been diagnosed with an “aggressive form of brain cancer” and that Stacy has pancreatic cancer.

Related: Calgary Flames GM suffers ‘catastrophic brain damage’ after going into cardiac arrest, wife says

“Tim Wakefield, you remember Tim Wakefield, the knuckleballer, is sick,” Schilling said of the 57-year-old retired athlete. “And I talked to (former Red Sox catcher) Doug Mirabelli yesterday, and that’s not a message that Tim asked anybody to share, and I don’t know if he wants to share it, but as a Christian and as a human being. of faith, I have seen prayer work, and so I will speak of it.”

He continued: “Tim was recently diagnosed with a very serious, very aggressive form of brain cancer.”

Never miss a story – sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to keep up with everything PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Schilling also said that Stacy also has cancer.

“Tim’s wife Stacy is one of the sweetest women you’ll ever meet, she’s very sick with pancreatic cancer and my wife has been talking to her and communicating and I’m going through an incredibly difficult time with Stacy and I -we wanted her to know that obviously we are all thinking of her and praying for her.”

Shortly after Schilling’s revelation came out, it was met with outrage on social media.

Related: Deion Sanders’ son Shilo goes to ER after Colorado loss at Oregon: ‘I landed on my kidney’

“F— you, Curt Schilling, you didn’t belong!” Catherine Varitek, wife of former Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek, wrote on X (formerly Twitter), while sports blogger Robbie Johnson wrote: “Rooting for Tim Wakefield and loathing Curt Schilling all at once.”

Wakefield, an All-Star, won the World Series twice while playing 17 seasons with the Red Sox. He retired in 2012 less than a year after earning his 200th career win at age 45.

For more People news, be sure to subscribe to our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.