Right fielder Jayson Werth has announced that he will retire from baseball.
This action ends Werth’s attempt at a comeback, as he signed a minor league deal with the Seattle Mariners in March. As the veteran is approaching 40 years of age, he feels that it is time to call it quits. Although he didn’t use the word “retirement” in his statement, he did say, “I’m done…whatever you want to call it.”
It has been a good 15 years for the outfielder, who bounced around the league a bit before settling in with the Washington Nationals.
Werth was a solid hitter in his prime, holding a .267 batting average, .360 slugging percentage, as well as totaling 229 home runs and 799 RBIs over the course of his career.
Although most remember him as a Washington National, his best years of baseball debatably came in a Philadelphia Phillies uniform. He was named an All-Star in 2009 when he posted an average of .268 to go along with 99 RBIs. He also blasted a career-high 36 home runs which ranked 7th in the National League at the time. Werth’s power carried into the postseason as well, where he led the MLB with 7 home runs. For his extraordinary efforts, he was declared the “Unsung Star of the Year” by baseball fans in the MLB’s This Year in Baseball Awards.
Werth was also part of the 2008 Phillies squad that took home the World Series. He was a major contributor during the playoffs, holding the highest batting average of any Philly with .309.
His long hair, beard, and leadership abilities are the first things that come to mind when one thinks of the former champion, and his contributions to the game will be dearly missed.
Featured Image Via Flickr/SD Dirk
