A beloved former Los Angeles Dodgers player is saying, “That’s all folks!”
Veteran left-handed pitcher Alex Wood announced in a post to his Instagram page on Friday that he is retiring from Major League Baseball. Wood stated that he was retiring with “immense gratitude” and called baseball his “first love” before issuing a lengthy set of thank-yous.
You can read his full post here.
Still only 34 years old, Wood pitched for five different MLB teams in his career. He is best remembered for his stints with the Dodgers from 2015-18 and again in 2020.
Wood was a stud for the Dodgers in 2017, making the NL All-Star team and finishing in the top 10 in NL Cy Young voting after posting a 16-3 record with a 2.72 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP. After being traded to the Cincinnati Reds in 2018, Wood then returned to the Dodgers for the 2020 MLB season and made four appearances for them in the playoffs as they went on to win the World Series.
The Charlotte, N.C. native Wood spent last season with the then-Oakland Athletics but went just 1-3 with a 5.26 ERA and a 1.78 WHIP over nine starts. His season then came to an early end because of shoulder surgery.
Wood is now walking off the mound for good with 12 big-league seasons under his belt and over $62 million in career salary (plus his 2020 World Series ring). He had become known in recent years for outspoken takes over social media and might just have a new career ahead of him as a pundit.
