MLB veteran pitcher Bruce Chen announced his retirement Monday after 22 years in the big leagues.
Chen took to Twitter to break the news himself:
The 37-year-old southpaw added, “These last [22 years], I have played and faced the best players in the world, lived in great cities and made long lasting memories and friends. I am looking forward to spending time with my wife and kids in my new journey that begins today.”
None of the numerous teams that gave Chen opportunities in a span of over two decades went unnoticed either, as he thanked every organization he’d been a part of:
ESPN Stats & Info highlighted one notable accomplishment in Chen’s marathon career:
The Cleveland Indians were Chen’s latest MLB home, but he struggled in two starts this season, lasting a total of 6.1 innings. Cleveland then designated Chen for assignment on Saturday, per Cleveland.com’s Paul Hoynes, which had to have triggered his decision to retire.
Despite not possessing elite arm talent, Chen was able to puzzle hitters often with diverse arm angles and tricky breaking pitches. The 2005 season was one of his best. As a member of the Baltimore Orioles, he had a 13-10 record, a 3.83 ERA and a career-best 3.0 WAR, per Baseball-Reference.com.
More recently, Chen served as a starter with the Kansas City Royals, posting a 9-4 record with a 3.27 ERA in 2013, making 15 starts in 34 appearances. However, before Kansas City went on its World Series run last year, it designated him for assignment in August 2014.
Inconsistency caused Chen to bounce between starting and relief roles, yet he still found a way to stick for longer than could have been expected when the Atlanta Braves signed him as an amateur free agent in 1993.
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