The Delaware Valley woke up to somber news on the morning of September 14. Jeffrey Bottalico (known to friends and family as Jeff), brother of former Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Ricky Bottalico, had passed away after a brief illness.
Born December 22, 1966 in New Britain, CT, Jeff left behind his wife Jessica, his parents John and Cynthia, his brothers Gary and Ricky, his nieces Olivia and Sophia, and nephews Kal and Logan.
Following Jeff’s death, Ricky took a leave of absence from his position covering Philadelphia sports at NBC Sports Philadelphia and 97.5 The Fanatic to be with his family in his hometown in Connecticut.
Ricky played for the Phillies for seven years, appearing in 330 games, and was nominated as the team’s sole representative at the 1996 All-Star Game at Veterans Stadium.
On September 15, Amy Fadool and Ricky’s former teammate Ruben Amaro Jr. gave an emotional tribute to Jeff on NBC Sports Philadelphia before the Phillies’ contest against the Washington Nationals that evening.
Phillies fans rush to show support to Ricky Bottalico after tragic loss of brother
The ensuing response on social media was immediate and overwhelming. Thousands reached out to publicly show their support for Ricky and the Bottalico family. The Philly sports community immediately and emphatically came together to lift up one of their own.
Sorry for your loss, @rickybottalico.
— Phillies Tailgate (@PhilsTailgate) September 15, 2026
Ricky had remained close with Jeffrey throughout his entire life, and he answered the outpouring of support with a heartfelt X (formerly Twitter) post on Sunday evening following Jeff’s funeral service in Rocky Hill, Connecticut.
His first public commentary following the news of his brother's passing represented an attempt to thank the ever-increasing number of sympathetic mourners in his corner.
On behalf of my whole family, I would like to say thank you from the bottom of my heart, all the well wishes and support that I received in the last week is overwhelming, it’s impossible to thank everyone individually but I am so appreciative to all of u! Talk to u tomorrow!
— ricky bottalico (@rickybottalico) September 20, 2026
Jeff's obituary noted, “He will leave behind a huge hole in the hearts of those who knew him best, but we will cherish the amazing memories and the beautiful soul he was.”
Jeff Bottalico had a lifelong devotion to helping animals and children. His family asks that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made in his name to the Connecticut Children’s Hospital and/or the Connecticut Humane Society.
Our hearts are with Ricky and the entire Bottalico family.
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