Expand / Collapse search
Watch TV
Menu

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ©2024 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Legal Statement. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper.

Sports

Pettitte announces retirement

By Sports Network
Published | Updated

Bronx, NY – New York Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte will retire following the 2013 season.

Pettitte previously retired in February 2011 and spent the year away from professional baseball. He returned to the Yankees in 2012.

"I'm announcing my retirement prior to the conclusion of our season because I want all of our fans to know now -- while I'm still wearing this uniform -- how grateful I am for their support throughout my career," Pettitte said in a statement released through the Yankees. "I want to have the opportunity to tip my cap to them during these remaining days and thank them for making my time here with the Yankees so special.

"I've reached the point where I know that I've left everything I have out there on that field. The time is right. I've exhausted myself, mentally and physically, and that's exactly how I want to leave this game."

The left-hander went 5-4 with a 2.87 earned run average in 12 starts last season. Pettitte is 10-10 with a 3.93 ERA in 28 starts this year.

Pettitte has two more starts, including Sunday at Yankee Stadium against the San Francisco Giants. He would then make the final start of his career next weekend back home in Houston.

The Yankees and the Astros are the only two teams for which the 41-year-old Pettitte has played. In 529 career games (519 starts) over 18 seasons, Pettitte is 255-152 with a 3.86 ERA. In addition, he is the winningest pitcher in postseason history, having gone 19-11 with a 3.81 ERA in 44 starts.

Pettitte is a five-time World Series champion (1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2009), three-time All-Star (1996, 2001, 2010) and 2001 ALCS MVP. His 218 wins with the Yankees rank third in club history, behind only Whitey Ford (236) and Red Ruffing (231), and he has recorded more strikeouts than any pitcher in Yankees history.

Yankees closer Mariano Rivera also will retire at the end of the season. Rivera will be honored by New York on Sunday.

"One of the things I struggled with in making this announcement now was doing anything to take away from Mariano's day on Sunday," Pettitte said. "It is his day. He means so much to me, and has meant so much to my career that I would just hate to somehow take the attention away from him."