Sean Doolittle is officially hanging up the spikes after 11 seasons in the big leagues.
The reliever, who pitched for the Athletics, Nationals, Mariners and Reds, said that he is leaving the game with a “full heart.”
“After 11 incredible seasons playing the sport I love, I can say with gratitude and a full heart that I am retiring from baseball,” Doolittle shared in a statement that he posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Doolittle was a solid late-inning reliever and racked up 112 saves with a 3.20 ERA in his career.
A first-round pick of the A’s in 2007, the southpaw made his debut in 2012 and quickly became one of baseball’s most reliable relievers, twice being named an All-Star (2014, 2018).
Doolittle spent the first five and a half years of his career in Oakland, and he gave a specific shoutout in his note to A’s farm director Keith Liepmann and pitching coach Garvin Alston for not giving up on him after he dealt with injuries that he said nearly derailed his career.
The lefty was shipped to the Nationals in 2017, where he became the primary closer, saving 20-plus games in three straight seasons.
In 2019, he pitched in a league-high 55 games as the Nationals won their first World Series title in franchise history after a thrilling seven-game series with the Astros.
He was an integral part of the bullpen in that postseason, yielding just two earned runs over 10 1/3 innings.
“Nats fans. Where do I even begin? From the moment I was traded here, you welcomed my wife and me to your city and your team. So much so that we decided to make DC our forever home,” he said. “The 2019 World Series title will always be the highlight of my career because we were able to share it with you.
“I don’t have the words to tell you how grateful I am for your support during my time here in DC.”
In 2021, Doolittle spent time with both Seattle and Cincinnati, and he joked this time was a “gap year” before he ended his career in D.C. in 2022.
“I also want to thank the Reds and Mariners for hosting me on my gap year and increasing my chances for getting on the Immaculate Grid. I loved my time in both cities, and my experience in baseball feels more complete because you gave me a chance to continue my career with two incredible organizations.”
Doolittle is being honored by the Nationals on Friday night in Washington.
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