Barry Zito Retires from MLB: Latest Comments and Reaction

Veteran pitcher Barry Zito announced his retirement from baseball Monday in an article he wrote for the Players' Tribune:

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I'm retiring today from baseball, but I'll never be too far away from the game that made me who I am. I am beyond thankful to be at peace with walking away, thanks in large part to my year of renewal in Nashville with the Sounds. My return to Oakland last month was a "cherry on top" moment in my life that my family and I will never forget. I will no doubt be in the stands on both sides of the Bay in years to come.

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Zito, 37, spent 15 seasons in the major leagues with the Oakland Athletics and the San Francisco Giants. He was a three-time All-Star who won the Cy Young Award in 2002 and secured World Series rings with the Giants in 2010 and 2012 (though he was left off the postseason roster when the team won the 2010 title).

He was also one-third of the dominant pitching trio that included Mark Mulder and Tim Hudson during his early days with the Athletics.

Craig Calcaterra of Hardball Talk weighed in on Zito's career after the announcement:

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Quite a journey the man has had. From a phenom to a Cy Young Award winner to something of an albatross and then finally onto journeyman status. From a guy who, at least according to some scattered reports back in his Oakland days, used to be a bit of a wild child on to a mature adult who has embraced Christianity and his family. For all of his ups and downs, he seems to be at a pretty peaceful and happy place. Not too bad.

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He spent the 2015 season with the Nashville Sounds, Oakland's Triple-A affiliate, before being recalled to the Athletics in September. According to his article announcing his retirement, he will now be pursuing a career as a songwriter.