The MLB offseason is just getting underway after the Atlanta Braves won the World Series less than 24 hours ago, and there’s already massive, stunning news in the baseball world.
San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey will announce his retirement from baseball on Thursday, according to Giants beat writer Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic.
BREAKING NEWS: Sources tell The Athletic that Buster Posey will announce his retirement tomorrow. More to come…
— Andrew Baggarly (@extrabaggs) November 3, 2021
Jon Heyman of MLB Network confirms the news.
Buster Posey is indeed retiring. On the Hall scale, he’s somewhere between Roy Campanella and Thurman Munson but much closer to Campy and should get in. 3 titles. A Rookie of the Year. A batting title. An MVP. A rule change. Tremendous hitter and leader.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) November 3, 2021
Posey is a seven-time All-Star, three-time World Series champion, and he won the NL MVP and batting title in 2012. He’s also a two-time NL Comeback Player of the Year, including in 2021.
And that last factoid is what makes this news so shocking. Posey is coming off a sensational 2021 season in which he had a .304/.390/.499 slash line and was worth 4.9. wins above replacement per FanGraphs- the highest WAR for a catcher in baseball this season.
The 34-year-old clearly has plenty of excellent baseball ability left, but he’s seemingly decided to hang it up. Maybe he wants to go out at a high level while still his body is still feeling well enough at a treacherous, physically demanding catcher position. Maybe it’s related to a personal matter or he just wants to spend more time with his family. Maybe it’s an entirely different reason altogether.
Whatever the case, Posey is seemingly retiring, and that’s a huge loss for both the Giants (winners of an MLB-best 107 games this season) and the game of baseball.
Congrats to Posey on an amazing career.
And here’s a sampling of the reaction to the Posey retirement news:
Buster Posey after Game 5 when asked about his future: "I'm definitely just going to take some time with my wife, talk to her, and I'll be able to be a full-time dad of four kids for the first time in a while. Yeah, just kind of take it slowly and see how things progress."
— Alex Pavlovic (@PavlovicNBCS) November 3, 2021
Buster Posey hit .304/.390/.499 in 2021, good for a 140 OPS+
if that is indeed his final year, it's one of the best offensive final seasons ever
via @Stathead: highest OPS+ in a player's final season since 1900 (min. 450 PA)
Posey will slot in 7th — and what a list!!! pic.twitter.com/ny6Kg9a6kp
— Céspedes Family BBQ (@CespedesBBQ) November 3, 2021
What a career!
3-time World Series champion @BusterPosey will reportedly announce his retirement tomorrow after an illustrious 12 year career.@SFGiants I #MLBTonight pic.twitter.com/xDgY78RZmW
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) November 3, 2021
Buster Posey retiring maybe shouldn't be as big a shocker as it feels like right now given that he already sat out a year recently… but still: Total shocker.
— Tim Kawakami (@timkawakami) November 3, 2021
Highest BA in final career season in Divisional Era (1969), min 400 PA:
2000 Will Clark: .319
2016 David Ortiz: .315
1995 Kirby Puckett: .314
1972 Roberto Clemente: .312
1999 Dave Nilsson: .309
1979 Lou Brock: .304Buster Posey hit .304 in 2021, so he'd join the list
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) November 3, 2021
Buster Posey is a First Ballot Hall of Famer, right? https://t.co/0MF3PeJEis pic.twitter.com/Gesz11TpIb
— Jeff D. Lowe (@JeffDLowe) November 3, 2021
If my math is correct, catchers have hit .242/.311/.389 since 2009, Buster Posey's rookie year.
His career slash line: .302/.372/.460.
— Chris Cwik (the real one) (@Chris_Cwik) November 3, 2021
Giants catcher Buster Posey will reportedly announce his retirement tomorrow, per @extrabaggs
What. A. Career.
• 3× World Series Champion
• 7× All-Star
• 4× Silver Slugger Award
• 2x NL Comeback Player of the Year
• NL MVP
• NL Rookie of the Year
• NL Hank Aaron Award pic.twitter.com/RH3XFXpQzC— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) November 3, 2021
There is no tweet or sentiment that can encapsulate what Buster Posey meant to Giants fans. He is irreplaceable and legendary. A true champion and a Giants lifer. I still remember the excitement in 2008 when he got drafted and in 2010 it was clear he was generational. WHAT A RUN.
— Sean Jordan (@BaySean) November 3, 2021
I just … don’t know … baseball without Buster Posey? I …
— Jessica Kleinschmidt (@KleinschmidtJD) November 3, 2021
Buster Posey Forever. For absolutely ever.
— McCovey Chronicles (@McCoveyChron) November 3, 2021
Hi hello
Here are Buster Posey's 5 longest HR since 2016
Because…why not?! pic.twitter.com/IadxDWayME
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) November 3, 2021
I remember seeing Buster Posey highlights from when he was at Florida State and my jaw hitting the floor.
He was one of the first players I idolized growing up, and one of the consistent superstars during his era. Enjoy retirement Buster! pic.twitter.com/pr4I73CnSm
— Baseball Quotes (@BaseballQuotes1) November 3, 2021
