Baltimore Orioles first baseman Chris Davis announced his retirement after 13 MLB seasons on Thursday.
Davis said he can not continue due to various injuries and was already ruled out for the season with a hip injury.
“After an extended time dealing with my injury and recent hip surgery, I informed the Orioles about my decision to retire effective today,” Davis said in a statement. “I want to thank the Orioles partnership group, led by the Angelos family, the Orioles organization, my teammates and coaches, the University of Maryland Children’s Hospital with whom I will continue to be involved following my retirement, and of course, Birdland. Thank you all for the many memories that I will cherish forever.”
Davis appeared in 1,151 games with the Orioles and was one of most feared power hitters over the last decade. He hit 295 home runs and drove in 780 runs during his career.
He led the American League in home runs in 2013 and 2015, but also led the league in strikeouts twice as well. His 1,852 career whiffs are ranked 17th all-time.
“Athletes have the power to change lives and better their communities, and Chris and his family have done just that. We admire their dedication to those most in need, with hundreds of hours of community work completed, millions of dollars donated, and countless other charitable efforts performed, often without fanfare,” the team said in a statement.
“For every inning played and home run hit, hour of service completed and amount donated, the Davis family has made an immeasurable impact on our city and on Orioles baseball. We send our best wishes to Chris, his wife Jill, and their daughters Ella, Evie, and Grace, each of whom will forever be part of our Orioles family.”
Davis, 35, was originally drafted by the New York Yankees in the 50th round of the 2004 MLB June Amateur Draft. He spent his first four seasons with the Texas Rangers
He signed a seven- year, $161 million contract with the Orioles in 2016. He will receive the remaining of his contract ($23 million per year) through the 2022 season with deferrals.