The Baseball Players Who Hung Up Their Gloves In 2023

Many sports stars probably wish they could keep playing the thing that they love professionally until they’re well into their senior years. Unfortunately, the physical pressure of such sports usually means that retirement comes sooner rather than later. Consequently, we constantly have to say goodbye to some amazing stars, just as we have done this year with several baseball greats.

With baseball being such a huge sport across the nation, it usually isn’t easy to see some of these players go. However, we understand there’s only so long they can spend on the diamond before they have to hang up their uniform and call it a day. We hope nothing but the best for them in their future endeavors.

Darren O’Day’s MLB ended with some unfortunate injuries

One of the first MLB players to announce his retirement in 2023 was Darren O’Day, who broke the news at the end of January. The last year hadn’t exactly been the best for the pitcher, with O’Day straining his left calf muscle in July 2022 before spraining his right big toe a few months later. Still, while he might not have had an MLB appearance for months before he called it a day, his career was one he can be proud of. A former 2015 All-Star, he made an impression on teams like the Texas Rangers, Baltimore Orioles, and Atlanta Braves. He retired from baseball with a win-loss record of 42-21, throughout which he’d managed 637 strikeouts and an earned run average of 2.59.

Jason Kipnis officially retired after several quiet years in baseball

Not long after Darren O’Day called time on his professional baseball career, Jason Kipnis did the same. Some people might have been surprised by the news, primarily because Kipnis hadn’t really been around for several years when he retired. He was released from the Atlanta Braves near the end of 2021 and hadn’t had an MLB appearance since 2020, so fans probably thought that he’d retired already. However, it wasn’t until February 2023 that he officially walked away, having achieved a .260 batting average and 126 home runs in his career. While the last few years might have been quiet for Kipnis, he did get to retire from baseball as a two-time All-Star, having played the special game in both 2013 and 2015.

Dexter Fowler walks away from professional baseball with some excellent achievements

In 2008, MLB fans met Dexter Fowler for the first time when he debuted with the Colorado Rockies. It was with this team that he spent the longest run of his career. However, the Rockies weren’t with whom he achieved his greatest successes - those came with the Chicago Cubs. With this team, he was both a World Series champion and an All-Star in 2016, two accomplishments he can look back on with pride. They go great with the bronze medal he earned as part of the US men’s baseball team at the 2008 Olympic Games. Throw in his .259 batting average and 127 home runs, and we reckon Fowler has retired from the sport with his head held high.

Lorenzo Cain retired after returning to the Kansas City Royals for one day

Lorenzo Cain made his debut in the MLB in 2010 when he was signed to the Milwaukee Brewers, a team that he didn’t stay with that long. Not initially, anyway. By 2011, he’d transferred to the Kansas City Royals, where he remained until returning to Milwaukee in 2018. He then went back to the Royals for one day in 2023 so that he could retire as part of the team. Well, it was with Kansas City that he first became an All-Star and won the World Series, with both accomplishments happening in 2015. Cain ultimately left Major League Baseball with 87 home runs and a batting average of .283 throughout his career, something we reckon he can be proud of.

Sergio Romo achieved some great things during his time with the San Francisco Giants

Sergio Romo spent much of his MLB career with the San Francisco Giants. It was with them that he became a three-time World Series champion, achieving the accolade in 2010, 2012, and 2014. He was also with the Giants when he managed his first and only All-Star appearance in 2013. Thankfully, just like Lorenzo Cain with the Kansas City Royals, San Francisco signed him on a short contract in 2023 so he could retire from MLB as one of their own. Prior to his return, he’d played for all manner of teams, including the Los Angeles Dodgers, Tampa Bay Rays, Minnesota Twins, and Seattle Mariners. However, the pitcher - who achieved 789 strikeouts and a run average of 3.21 over the years - belonged with the Giants.

All of these men have achieved things they can look back on proudly now that they’re retired. Although they might no longer play baseball, the sport will always be an essential part of their lives. Who knows, perhaps this won’t be the last we see of them.