While starting pitching is always of need in Major League Baseball, especially with the recent implementation of the pitch clock, one longtime veteran has decided to hang up his cleats for good.
Former World Series champion Aníbal Sánchez announced his retirement from baseball on Wednesday. Sánchez didn’t play in 2021, as he was concerned over COVID-19 and the subsequent protocols in place by Major League Baseball. He returned to the big leagues in 2022 after signing a minor-league deal with the Washington Nationals and managed to start 14 games after dealing with a neck issue.
Sánchez announced the decision himself on social media with a long message thanking his teammates and fans.
“Throughout these past 17 years in Major League Baseball, God has given me the opportunity to live wonderful moments on and off the field,” Sánchez wrote on Instagram. “Baseball has been my great passion since I was a child, and I am extremely grateful to have been able to make that dream a reality.”
“Today begins a new chapter where I hang up the glove and uniform to pursue my other passions,” Sánchez added. “I retire as a major league player; however, I will always be close to the sport I love. See you soon.”
Sánchez made his MLB debut with the then-Florida Marlins in 2006. Along with Hanley Ramirez, he was a prized piece of a trade package that sent Josh Beckett and Mike Lowell to the Boston Red Sox.
He had an incredible rookie season in the majors, as he threw a no-hitter in just his 13th career start and later finished ninth in the National League Rookie of the Year voting. He finished that season with a 2.83 ERA in 114.1 innings (18 appearances). Sánchez would go on to play with the Detroit Tigers and was the American League’s ERA leader in 2013 with a 2.57 ERA. He later played for the Atlanta Braves and Nationals and played a huge role in Washington’s World Series run in 2019.
