Veteran pitcher Barry Zito announced his retirement from baseball Monday in an article he wrote for the Players’ Tribune:

I’m retiring today from baseball, but I’ll never be too far away from the game that made me who I am. I am beyond thankful to be at peace with walking away, thanks in large part to my year of renewal in Nashville with the Sounds. My return to Oakland last month was a “cherry on top” moment in my life that my family and I will never forget. I will no doubt be in the stands on both sides of the Bay in years to come.

Zito, 37, spent 15 seasons in the major leagues with the Oakland Athletics and the San Francisco Giants. He was a three-time All-Star who won the Cy Young Award in 2002 and secured two World Series rings with the Giants in 2012 (though he was left off the postseason roster when the team won the 2010 title).

He was also one-third of the dominant pitching trio that included Mark Mulder and Tim Hudson during his early days with the Athletics.

He spent the 2015 season with the Nashville Sounds, Oakland’s Triple-A affiliate, before being recalled to the Athletics in September. According to his article announcing his retirement, he will now be pursuing a career as a songwriter.

 

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