Washington Nationals, Sean Doolittle Announced His retirement
Sean Doolittle; Announced his retirement after 11 incredible seasons
Sean Doolittle, a former Washington Nationals bullpen pitcher who contributed to the team’s World Series victory, announced his retirement on Friday “with gratitude and a full heart.”
He said goodbye “after 11 incredible seasons playing the sport I love” and included images from his time with the Nationals and Oakland Athletics.
The first six seasons of the two-time All-Star’s career were spent in Oakland. He said that 17 years ago, the team selected him as a first baseman out of the University of Virginia. In light of the “difficult” shift to Las Vegas, the 36-year-old gave club supporters hope.
The Washington Nationals acquired him in a trade, and he remains there until now as he enjoyed it so much. He made his second All-Star appearance in 2018, after first pitching there from 2017 to 2020.
He contributed to the team’s quest for its first and only World Series victory by recording a save in Game 1 of the 2019 Series.
Doolittle addressed Nationals supporters,
“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.”
The Nationals replied to Doolittle’s statement with a separate social media post.
Before the team honors him before Friday’s game against the Atlanta Braves, a press conference for Doolittle was allegedly scheduled at Nationals Park.
The Cincinnati Reds and Seattle Mariners, with whom he played during his “gap year” in the 2021 season, were also mentioned in his statement. He joked about the video game Immaculate Grid before stating that both teams made his baseball experience seem “more complete.” Then thanked his family, teammates, and clubhouse personnel.
In March 2022, Doolittle signed a one-year deal to return to the Nationals. Before having season-ending elbow surgery in July 2022, he last pitched in the majors in April. This year, he committed to playing in the minor leagues with Washington, where he made 11 appearances at four different levels.
He leaves the MLB with a 26-24 record, a 3.20 ERA, and 112 saves in 463 bullpen appearances.
