Adrian Beltre retires after 21 seasons
Adrian Beltre retired from professional baseball on Tuesday.
The 39-year-old Dominican issued a statement through the Texas Rangers, the team he played with for the last eight of his 21 MLB seasons.
"After careful consideration and many sleepless nights, I have made the decision to retire from what I've been doing my whole life, which is playing baseball, the game I love," he wrote. "I have thought about it a lot and although I appreciate all the opportunities and everything that baseball has given me, it's time to call it a career."
Beltre debuted in 1998 with the Los Angeles Dodgers as a 19-year-old. He went on to become one of the greatest third basemen in MLB history, earning more than $200 million while winning five Gold Gloves.
During his final eight seasons, Beltre posted incredible numbers in his 30s, hitting .304/.357/.509 with 199 home runs and 699 RBIs over 1,098 games.
"A huge THANK YOU goes to the numerous teammates, managers, coaches, and staff members from the Los Angeles Dodgers, Seattle Mariners, Boston Red Sox, and especially the Texas Rangers. These past eight seasons playing in a Rangers' uniform have been the best of my career and were made possible thanks to Rangers' owners Ray Davis, Bob Simpson, and Neil Leibman, general manager Jon Daniels, Nolan Ryan, and the late Don Welke."
In July 2017, Beltre joined exclusive company when he became the 31st player in major-league history to record 3,000 hits.
The four-time All-Star appeared in 2,933 games during a monumental career that included 3,166 hits, 477 home runs, and 1,707 RBIs.
His 84.0 fWAR ranks seventh all-time among third baseman, while his 218.4 career defensive rating sits behind only Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson among players at the hot corner.
"To all my fans in the Dominican Republic, the United States and Latin American, my sincerest THANK YOU for your continuous support throughout my career. While I will forever cherish the memories from my time playing the greatest game on earth, I am excited to become a full time husband and father, and I am ready to take on the next chapter of my life."