Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira is expected to announce his retirement later today, as reported by Buster Onley earlier this morning.
Mark Teixeira expected to announce his retirement later today, at 36, effective at the end of the season.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) August 5, 2016
Teixeira, 36, has struggled in the 77 games he’s played in 2016. The switch-hitting veteran is slashing .198/.287/.340 with 10 homers and just 27 RBI.
At this time last year, Teixeira was in great shape. He finished 2015 with a .313 TAv (.255/.357/.548), 31 home runs and 79 RBI in 111 games played. However, on August 17th, he suffered what was diagnosed as a fractured shin, an injury that would derail his late career.
Texeira is amidst his eighth season with the Yankees. The first of those seasons, 2009, was his best season. Tex batted .292 with a .383 OBP, 39 homers, and 120 RBI. Most of all, he was a crucial component to the Yankees’ championship ball club, finishing with a 3.6 WARP.
His prime was with Texas, however, where he boasted a 5.7 WARP season in 2005 (age 25), slashing .301/.379/.575 with 43 home runs and a whopping 144 RBI.
Teixeira will go down as one of the most powerful switch hitters in baseball history. While he likely won’t be a Hall of Fame candidate, the three-time all-star currently has 404 homers and 400 doubles in his 14th year as a big-leaguer.
Mark Teixeira is only 1B *ever* with 400+ HR, 1200+ RBI, 900+ BB, .500+ SLG, 5+ Gold Gloves, per Lee Sinins of @MLBNetwork Research. @MLB
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) August 5, 2016
With the future in the Yankees’ minds, it’s time to say goodbye to the first baseman who stood with A-Rod and C.C. Sabathia as the symbol of the recent veteran-laden era in Yankees history.
Photo: Kim Klement / USA Today Sports