Veteran catcher Chirinos announces retirement

Robinson Chirinos has hung up his mask and glove

The 38-year-old catcher announced his retirement from baseball after 11 big-league seasons in a Twitter post on Wednesday afternoon.

A native of Punto Fijo, Venezuela, Chirinos appeared in 714 career games for the Tampa Bay Rays, Texas Rangers, Houston Astros, New York Mets, Chicago Cubs and Baltimore Orioles, with whom he played in 2022. A majority of his career was spent with the Rangers with Chirinos appearing in 456 games over six-plus seasons.

"Baseball has been more than just a game to me," Chirinos wrote. "It has been my passion, my love, and my identity for as long as I can remember. From little league to the major leagues, I have spent
my life pursuing my dream of being a professional baseball player. As I bid farewell to baseball, I want to take a moment to reflect on this incredible journey. I have faced injuries, setbacks, and doubts, but | have also experienced incredible highs, such as winning championships and setting personal records. Through it all, I have learned that baseball is a metaphor for life. It has taught me lessons about teamwork, perseverance, resilience, humility, and gratitude that I will carry with me forever."

Internationally, Chirinos has represented Venezuela on a number of occasions including in this past March's World Baseball Classic.

 For his career, Chirinos batted .226 with 95 home runs, 306 runs batted in and an OPS of .738.