MLB All-Star Pitcher Retires After 15 Seasons

Darren O’Day, who recently spent time with the Atlanta Braves, is retiring from baseball. The 40-year-old pitcher went to social media at the end of January to announce his retirement after playing for multiple MLB teams for 15 seasons. O’Day is known for his sidearm delivery, which led to him having a strong career.

In the post, O’Day explained why he is leaving the game now. “The mental, physical, and time demands have finally outweighed my love for the game,” O’Day wrote in the post, per MLB.com. “When I started in 2006, I didn’t know if I was good enough to compete in MLB, but I was determined to keep going until somebody told me otherwise. I hope anyone out there who does things a little different can find inspiration in my story.”

O’Day began his MLB career in 2008 as a member of the Los Angeles Angeles of Anaheim. He then joined the New York Mets in 2009 and played in just four games before he was designated for assignment. The Texas Rangers claimed O’Day shortly after the Mets move him, and he played in 64 games for the club that season. O’Day spent another two seasons with the Rangers before joining the Baltimore Orioles in 2012. He spent seven seasons with the Orioles and played in the All-Star game in 2015. In that season, O’Day pitched in 68 games and posted a 1.52 ERA with 82 strikeouts and just 14 walks and posted a 6-2 record in 65.1 innings pitched. 

In 2018, O’Day suffered a hamstring injury after appearing in 20 games. He was traded to the Braves in July of that year and didn’t play again until 2019 when he appeared in eight games and recorded a 1.69 ERA in 5.1 innings. O’Day then recorded a 4-0 record with a 1.10 ERA in 19 appearances in 2020 with the Braves. In 2021, O’Day signed a one-contract with the New York Yankees and appeared in only 12 games due to multiple injuries. He returned to the Braves last season and played in 28 games, which is the most he’s seen since the 2018 season. 

O’Day who is from Jacksonville, Florida, played college baseball at the University of Florida from 2003 to 2006. He was named an Academic All-American his senior year and helped the Gators reach the College World Series finals in 2005.