New York Yankees infielder Troy Tulowitzki has announced his retirement via a statement from the team on Thursday.
“For as long as I can remember, my dream was to compete at the highest level as a Major League Baseball player … to wear a big league uniform and play hard for my teammates and the fans,” Tulowitzki said.
“I will forever be grateful for every day that I’ve had to live out my dream. It has been an absolute honor.
“I will always look back with tremendous gratitude for having the privilege of playing as long as I did. There is no way to truly express my gratitude to the fans of Colorado, Toronto and New York. They always made my family and I feel so welcome.”
Tulowitzki has struggled to stay healthy the past few seasons, and despite a strong performance in Spring Training with the Yankees this year, he played in just five games this season, his first with the Yankees, before suffering a sprained left calf.
Tulowitzki missed all of the 2018 season after undergoing surgery on both heels, and was limited to just 66 games in 2017, when he was a member of the Toronto Blue Jays, due to an ankle injury.
Despite the injuries, Tulowitzki put together a stellar career, and will go down as one of the best players in the history of the Colorado Rockies, where he was the face of the franchise.
“While this chapter is now over, I look forward to continuing my involvement in the game that I love … instructing and helping young players achieve their goals and dreams,” Tulowitzki said.
“I’m saying goodbye to Major League Baseball, but I will never say goodbye 2 the game I love.”
Tulowitzki ends his career as a five-time All-Star, winning two Gold Gloves, compiling a career .290 batting average, 225 home runs, 762 runs, and 780 RBIs playing for the Rockies, Blue Jays, and Yankees.