Report: Buster Posey Plans to Announce Retirement After 12 Seasons with Giants

Buster Posey is a San Francisco Giants legend, but his time with the team and in Major League Baseball is apparently coming to an end.

Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic reported Posey plans to announce his retirement Thursday.

This comes after Jon Heyman of MLB Network reported in August the Giants intended to bring him back and were "more likely" to sign him to a new multiyear deal than simply exercising the $22 million club option on his contract for 2022.

Posey's MLB career started in 2009, and he finishes with a slash line of .302/.372/.460 to go with 158 home runs and 729 RBI.

He will forever be a Giants icon with an incredible resume that includes three World Series titles, a National League MVP, a NL Rookie of the Year, four Silver Sluggers, a Gold Glove, a batting title and seven All-Star selections.

Despite that track record, he was somewhat of a question mark coming into the 2021 campaign.

After all, Posey struggled in 2019 compared to his elevated standards when he slashed .257/.320/.368 with seven home runs and 38 RBI and then opted out of the shortened 2020 campaign.

That put plenty of pressure on the 2021 season when he looked to rediscover his old form as one of the best overall players in the league and secure his hefty option year on his deal. He responded in kind as an All-Star who slashed .304/.390/.499 with 18 home runs and 56 RBI.

Posey was a veteran leader for a Giants team that was among the best in the league throughout the season while surpassing expectations as the National League West champions.

The showing figured to be perfect timing for the veteran with the contract status looming, but he will instead head into retirement.

The 34-year-old was a generational talent who hit for average, provided power, managed star-studded pitching staffs and delivered key October hits during a Hall of Fame-caliber career.