San Francisco Giants’ 7-time All-Star catcher to retire
Catcher Buster Posey, who won three World Series titles and was named All-Star seven times in his 12 seasons with the San Francisco Giants, will announce his retirement from baseball on Thursday, a person with knowledge of the situation facing United States TODAY Sports has been confirmed.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not allowed to speak publicly.
Posey, who put the COVID-shortened 2020 season on hold because he and his wife adopted newborn twin girls, ended his playing career on a high level – with a hit of 0.304 and a punch of 0.499 in 113 games, leading the Giants to an MLB best 107 wins.
A first-round pick in the 2005 draft (fifth overall) from the state of Florida, Posey made his Major League debut in 2009, and was named Rookie of the Year in the National League the following season when the Giants defeated the Texas Rangers to win the world series for the first time since moving to San Francisco.
In 2012, Posey won the NL fighting title averaging 0.336, was named to his first All-Star team, and was named a league MVP when the Giants swept the Detroit Tigers in the World Series.
Posey and the Giants added a third World Series crown in 2014, defeating the Kansas City Royals in an epic seven-game thriller.
Posey ended his career as a .302 lifetime hitter with a .372 on-base percentage and .460 slugging percentage – all excellent numbers for a catcher. He is a four-time Silver Slugger winner for his offensive and won a Gold Glove for best defensive catcher in the league in 2016.
With 1,093 players, he ranks fourth among the active players in catcher games, behind Yadier Molina, Kurt Suzuki and Jonathan Lucroy. However, he also played 229 games on first base.
Contributor: Bob Nightengale
