AbbVie Teams Up with MLB in 'Striking Out Cancer' Initiative

AbbVie has partnered with Major League Baseball (MLB) as official pharmaceutical sponsor across all games this season. The partnership supports AbbVie's 'Striking Out Cancer' initiative, which aims to raise funds and awareness for cancer research. With every strikeout, players will contribute $20 to cancer research.

ABBV AbbVie has been named the Official Pharmaceutical Partner of Major League Baseball in a multi-year deal that expands its "Striking Out Cancer" initiative from a single-team pilot to a league-wide campaign. Under the partnership, AbbVie will donate $20 for every strikeout recorded across all MLB games this season, up to a $1 million cap, with funds going to Stand Up To Cancer. The $20 figure represents the roughly 20% of the global population who will be diagnosed with cancer before age 75, per the WHO.

The initiative originated in May 2025 as a collaboration between AbbVie and the Chicago Cubs, where the company donated $233 per Cubs pitcher strikeout at home, representing the approximately 233 Americans diagnosed with cancer every hour. That first season resulted in a $250,000 donation to Cubs Charities . The 2026 expansion takes the program nationwide, with enhanced donation bonuses around marquee events including the All-Star Game, MLB at Field of Dreams, and the Wild Card Series, which will be presented by AbbVie.

For AbbVie, the deal reinforces its oncology positioning as the $388 billion market-cap pharma company continues to build out its cancer pipeline alongside blockbuster immunology drugs Skyrizi and Rinvoq. With approximately 40,000 strikeouts recorded across MLB each season, the initiative could approach its $1 million annual cap while generating sustained brand visibility across MLB Network, digital platforms, and postseason broadcasts.