The Red Sox and their faithful are mourning the loss of longtime color commentator and former Sox player Jerry Remy, who died on Saturday at 68 after dealing with lung cancer for over a decade.

Remy, who became a key voice of the team when he joined NESN's broadcasts of the Sox in 1988, played for the team for seven seasons as a second baseman and was a one-time All-Star in his playing days. On Twitter, the Red Sox paid tribute to the Somerset native, known affectionately as "RemDawg," a member of the team's Hall of Fame.

"We are saddened by the loss of a beloved player, broadcaster, and 13-year cancer warrior," team owner John Henry said in a statement. "Jerry's love and connection to baseball didn't allow anything to stand between the game and him, including for many years cancer.

"He devoted his entire career to baseball and whether from his seat in the clubhouse or his perch above the field in the broadcast booth, he took generations of rising Red Sox stars and a multitude of fans along for the ride with him," Henry went on. "During his lifetime, he witnessed great triumphs and terrible tragedies handling all of it with grace, dignity, and a huge heart. He left an indelible mark on this club and on an entire nation of Red Sox fans."

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Team president and CEO Sam Kennedy said Remy was the epitome of what he loved about the Red Sox.

"Growing up, I watched him play as a scrappy second baseman, and later listened and laughed with him as an iconic broadcaster. For the past two decades, I had the immense privilege of working alongside him and seeing firsthand the artful way he connected generations of players and fans with his insight, and often, his humor," Kennedy said in a statement.

Remy had been battling cancer on and off since 2008.

Tributes poured in over Twitter as the news of Remy's death spread over the course of Sunday. Sox manager Alex Cora shared some of the last texts he shared with Remy.

On Twitter, Boston acting Mayor Kim Janey wrote that Remy was the voice of the Red Sox for generations and will be deeply missed by all in Red Sox nation.

On the field, Remy batted .275 and got 1,226 hits over the course of his major league career, which began with the then-named California Angels. That career was cut short by knee injuries, but he found a second wind in broadcasting.

In the booth, he was known for his colorful banter. One of his more memorable moments came when he and Don Orsillo broke down a pizza-throwing incident at Fenway Park in 2007 on NESN.

Away from the ballpark, Remy dealt with several well-publicized family and health issues. His son, Jared, was arrested for murdering his girlfriend Jennifer Martel, who he shared a daughter with, in 2013. He was sentenced to life in prison the following year after pleading guilty.

Along with dealing with cancer, Remy also had a public battle with depression.

Remy made his last public appearance at Fenway on October 5 to throw out the ceremonial first pitch ahead of the Red Sox taking on the Yankees in the American League Wild Card game.

Remy is survived by his wife, Phoebe, his sons Jared and Jordan, his daugther Jenna and her husband Leif von der Heyde, and two grandchildren, Dominik Guyette and Arianna Remy.