Former AL MVP Josh Donaldson retires after 13 seasons
The "Bringer of Rain" is hanging up his spikes.
Former American League MVP Josh Donaldson announced his retirement Monday after 13 major-league seasons during an appearance on "The Mayor's Office with Sean Casey" podcast.
A calf injury limited the 38-year-old to 50 games last season, split between the New York Yankees and Milwaukee Brewers. While he helped Milwaukee to an NL Central title late in the year, Donaldson hit a career-worst .152/.249/.418 with only 13 homers in 189 total at-bats.
Donaldson said he had opportunities to continue his career but pivoted to retirement after getting married and spending time with his family in the offseason. He added that he would've needed the "perfect situation" to play this year.
"Today is a sad but also happy day for me. ... It's sad because I'll not be able to go out there and play the game that I love anymore, but it's also (a) very happy time that I get to be around the family, and kind of take that next chapter in life," Donaldson said.
Donaldson is best known for his brief but dominant run with the Toronto Blue Jays as one of the anchors of their powerful clubs that made ALCS appearances in 2015 and '16. Acquired for four players in a blockbuster trade ahead of the '15 season, he earned the 2015 AL MVP after helping the Blue Jays snap a 22-year playoff drought. In just four campaigns with Toronto, Donaldson won two Silver Sluggers and a Hank Aaron Award and made two of his three career All-Star appearances.
Perhaps his most memorable moment in a Blue Jays uniform came during the 2016 ALDS when his mad dash home won the series for Toronto against the archrival Texas Rangers.
Originally a first-round pick of the Chicago Cubs in 2007, Donaldson made his big-league debut with the Oakland Athletics as a catcher three years later but didn't stick in the majors for another two years. He was the starting third baseman on three straight A's playoff teams before the trade to Toronto.
Donaldson retires after compiling a lifetime .261/.358/.489 slash line with 1,310 hits, 279 home runs, and 816 RBIs over 1,383 games between the Blue Jays, A's, Yankees, Brewers, Cleveland Indians, Atlanta Braves, and Minnesota Twins. While he never won a World Series, Donaldson appeared in the playoffs during nine of his 13 seasons and at least once with six of his seven teams.
Donaldson will become eligible to appear on the Baseball Hall of Fame ballot for the first time in 2029.