Troy Tulowitzki announces retirement

Troy Tulowitzki has retired from baseball, the veteran infielder announced in a statement Thursday.

"I wanted to take this opportunity to announce my retirement as a Major League Baseball player," Tulowitzki said, according to Lindsey Adler of The Athletic.

"For as long as I can remember, my dream was to compete at the highest level as a Major League Baseball Player ... to wear a big-league uniform and play hard for my teammates and the fans. I will forever be grateful for every day that I've had to live out my dream. It has been an absolute honor."

Tulowitzki played 13 seasons in the big leagues with the Colorado Rockies, Toronto Blue Jays, and New York Yankees.

After a successful stint with the Rockies - who drafted him in 2005 - Tulowitzki was dealt to Toronto as part of a blockbuster trade in 2015. He helped the Blue Jays win a division title later that year.

Injuries derailed his tenure north of the border, however, as he appeared in just 238 games across three seasons with the Blue Jays.

Toronto released Tulowitzki - who had $38 million left on his contract - this past December after he appeared in just 66 combined games in 2017 and 2018.

The Yankees quickly scooped him up on a one-year deal a month later.

After making the team out of spring training, Tulowitzki appeared in just five regular-season games for New York before suffering a calf injury in April.

"I will always look back with tremendous gratitude for having the privilege of playing as long as I did," Tulowitzki said, according to Adler. "There is no way to truly express my gratitude to the fans of Colorado, Toronto, and New York. They always made my family and I feel so welcome.

"I want to thank the Yankees organization and (general manager) Brian Cashman for giving me the opportunity to wear the Yankees uniform and live out another childhood dream. I wish that my health had allowed for a different ending to that chapter."

The 34-year-old Tulowitzki appeared in five All-Star Games, won two Gold Gloves and two Silver Sluggers, and received MVP consideration on six separate occasions during his career.

He authored an impressive .290/.361/.495 slash line with 225 home runs and 780 RBIs in 1,291 career games.

Tulowitzki ranks in the all-time top 10 among Rockies players in batting average, on-base percentage, OPS, games played, home runs, RBIs, and total bases.

Defensively, he recorded a career plus-92 in defensive runs saved, according to FanGraphs, and a .985 fielding percentage.

Post-retirement, Tulowitzki will join the Texas Longhorns' baseball team as a volunteer coach, according to Danny Davis of the Austin Statesman.

"While this chapter is now over, I look forward to continuing my involvement in the game that I love ... instructing and helping young players to achieve their goals and dreams," Tulowitzki continued.

"I'm saying goodbye to Major League Baseball, but I will never say goodbye (to) the game I love. Thanks again (to) all of you!"