Days of Our Lives’ Matthew Ashford revealed what it was like working on the show during Drake Hogestyn’s last days.

“Swing for the fences” was one of Drake Hogestyn’s catch phrases that he would often use to encourage his Days of Our Lives castmates to give it their all. The beloved actor, who passed away in 2024, was a professional baseball player for a time. So, many of his adages for life were sports metaphors. Recently, Matthew Ashford, who plays Jack, opened up about the sendoff the show gave to Hogestyn’s iconic hero, John Black.

A Hero’s Exit

Ashford was interviewed by Soap Opera Digest, and explained that he found out about Hogestyn’s pancreatic cancer diagnosis, as well as the fact that the beloved actor had a say in how John would be written out. “I think it was his way of saying, ‘I want John Black to ride off into the sunset, and that it would be an honor to me to not recast him.’”

The actor was happy that the show and Hogestyn were able to work in tandem to bring John’s story to a fitting conclusion. Ashford realized the heartbreaking truth that by Hogestyn giving his blessing for the character’s final hours, it was like he said, “I can’t do this anymore.”

A Somber Affair

Ashford felt that it didn’t seem likely that Hogestyn was the kind of person to throw the towel in, so the fact that he said he couldn’t continue any longer meant the end was truly near. He used a fitting baseball metaphor when he stated, “So it’s like hanging up his baseball jersey and saying, ‘This number will not be replaced. His John Black will never be replaced.’ ”

Sadly, Ashford knew something was wrong with his friend when they were doing a scene where John was found tied up. Hogestyn appeared as if he was really in poor health, not just playing John all beat up. He remarked that working with the knowledge that they were nearing the end of Hogestyn’s life, “It was somber at times.”