Felix not planning to retire after 2019: 'I've got more years to play'
Even while mired in the worst season of his illustrious career, Seattle Mariners right-hander Felix Hernandez says he has no plans to call it quits when his contract expires following the 2019 campaign.
"Oh yeah, I've got more years to play," Hernandez told Jon Heyman of Fancred Sports. "I'm not going to retire."
Ideally, Hernandez said, he would continue his career with the Mariners, the only organization he's played for, but he hasn't yet approached management about an extension.
"I love Seattle," said Hernandez, who debuted with the Mariners in 2005.
Whether the Mariners want Hernandez to be part of their future, however, remains to be seen. Once considered among the game's top starters, Hernandez has struggled in recent years to replicate the success he enjoyed earlier in his career.
| Split | ERA (ERA+) | WHIP | FIP | K/BB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005-2014 | 3.07 (130) | 1.17 | 3.15 | 3.41 |
| 20015-2018 | 4.02 (99) | 1.27 | 4.34 | 2.56 |
His performance through the first three months of 2018 has been particularly worrisome, as the six-time All-Star and former American League Cy Young award winner carried a career-worst 5.10 ERA and 1.35 WHIP into Saturday's start against the Kansas City Royals at Safeco Field.
Hernandez is earning roughly $26.9 million this season, and will make about $27.9 million in 2019.