First baseman Adrián González, a veteran of 15 big-league seasons, announced his retirement on Saturday by posting a farewell message to his Instagram account.
González’s note, which can be read in full below, thanked his family, his agent, and his fans. It concluded with the following declaration: “[It’s] now time to continue on with my life into new and continued businesses and partnerships.”
González, who will celebrate his 40th birthday in May, entered the world of professional baseball in 2000, when he was drafted No. 1 overall by the then-Florida Marlins. González never played in the majors with the Marlins. Rather, he was traded to the Texas Rangers before making his big-league debut in 2004.
González would be included in several other trades during his career, resulting in him appearing in games with the Rangers, the San Diego Padres, the Boston Red Sox, the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the New York Mets, with whom he took his final big-league swing in 2018. Through it all, González hit .287/.358/.485 (129 OPS+) with 317 home runs and 43.5 Wins Above Replacement. He made five All-Star Games and won four Gold Glove Awards. He was also a two-time Silver Slugger Award recipient.
González may have wrapped up his big-league career some time ago, but he remained active last year as he pursued his dream of playing in the Olympics for Mexico. He accomplished that feat during the Tokyo Games last summer, notching three hits over 11 at-bats, including a double. González appeared in 43 games with the Mariachis de Guadalajara of the Mexican League as a means of staying sharp. He batted .340/.412/.531 with six home runs in those contests.
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