There was a time, in the 2010s, in which Sean Doolittle was one of the best and most dominant left-handed relievers in baseball.
That was the case until not so long ago.
In fact, he won a World Series with the Washington Nationals in 2019, just before the team disbanded.
He was the co-closer with right-hander Daniel Hudson, and together formed a formidable late-inning duo.
Now, Doolittle has announced that his career as an active player is over.
He made the announcement himself via Twitter, with three pictures: one with a long, heartfelt statement, one posing with Oakland Athletics fans, and the last one celebrating the World Series title with thousands of Nationals fans in 2019.
— Sean Doolittle (@whatwouldDOOdo) September 22, 2023
In the statement, Doolittle expressed his gratitude after “11 incredible seasons playing the sport I love.”
He tells the story of how the A’s salvaged his career by making him transition to the mound after a failed stint as a first baseman, and how the nation’s capital opened itself to him and his family.
Doolittle thanked his managers, coaches, fellow players, the MLBPA, his family, and fans for making a truly successful career possible.
The lefty is retiring with a rock-solid 3.20 ERA in 450.2 innings with the A’s, Nationals, Cincinnati Reds, and Seattle Mariners.
His best individual season came in 2018, when he posted a 1.60 ERA in 45 frames, with 60 strikeouts.
He was very dominant in his prime, and racked up 112 saves in 138 total opportunities.
He made his living in late, high-leverage innings and thrived more often than not.
Happy trails to one of the most impressive relievers of the past decade.
