Curtis Granderson Announces MLB Retirement After 16-Year Career

All-Star outfielder Curtis Granderson announced his retirement from Major League Baseball on Friday after a 16-year career he called the "ride of a lifetime."

Granderson, who spent the 2019 season with the Miami Marlins, confirmed the news on Twitter.

"As I close out this wonderful chapter in my life and step away from my days on the field, I know that my role in this game is only just getting started," he wrote. "I look forward to continuing my work helping to diversify the sport, paving the way for young kids to learn and grow."

The Detroit Tigers selected Granderson in the third round of the 2002 MLB draft. He cruised quickly through the minor leagues, reaching the big club by September 2004.

After six seasons with the Tigers, he made stops with the New York Yankees, New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, Toronto Blue Jays and Milwaukee Brewers before finishing his nomadic career in Miami.

The 38-year-old Illinois native finishes his career with a .249/.337/.465 triple-slash line, 344 home runs and 153 stolen bases across 2,057 career appearances. His .803 career OPS ranked 45th among all active players prior to his retirement, per Baseball Reference.

In November, he spoke with Annie Costabile of the Chicago Sun-Times about what he hoped his lasting legacy would be from his playing days.

"I never imagined playing this long, let alone having it end at some point," Granderson said. "Now [the end] is closer than it ever has been. If this does end up being the end of it, I hope people remember how hard I played the game and how much fun I had playing the game."

Granderson earned three All-Star selections, 2009 with the Tigers and 2011-12 with the Yankees, and a Silver Slugger Award in 2011.

While the University of Illinois at Chicago product was a major asset on the field, his off-field contributions earned him more hardware. He was named the Marvin Miller Man of the Year four times (2009, 2016, 2018 and 2019) and won the Roberto Clemente Award in 2016.

Granderson founded both the Chicago Baseball and Educational Academy to help "build great citizens through baseball, education and mentorship" and the Grand Kids Foundation to "aid positive youth development through education, physical fitness and nutrition initiatives."

He's one of MLB's best ambassadors, giving him a bright future in the sport whether it's coaching, broadcasting or working out of the spotlight to help the growth of young players.