Shane Victorino gives teary goodbye to Boston after being traded (Video)

Scrappy outfielder Shane Victorino punched his ticket to Boston immortality with his conquests during the 2013 MLB Postseason. Victorino was a crucial contributor that year, helping the Red Sox capture the World Series in an unforgettable run just months after the Boston Marathon bombing. A go-ahead grand slam in the ALCS against the Tigers that wound up winning the pennant. A bases-clearing triple off The Green Monster to open up the scoring in a closeout World Series Game 6. And of course, countless unforgettable walk-ups to Bob Marley’s “Three Little Birds.”

Though he only spent less than three seasons with the team, Victorino will forever be a beloved figure in the eyes of the Fenway faithful. Even if he’s wearing the uniform of another team.

On Monday, Victorino’s tenure with the Red Sox officially came to an end, as he was traded to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in exchange for minor league infielder Josh Rutledge. The trade deadline is a sombering reminder that goodbyes are never easy to make, and Victorino proved no exception. The 34-year-old was visibly choked up in a goodbye press conference with the Boston media after learning that he had been traded.

In between tears, Victorino also announced that he would be retiring his beloved walk-up song.

In a tearful goodbye, Shane Victorino said he's retiring his signature walk-up song out of respect for Boston. WATCH: http://t.co/vC8hGVqxAF

— ESPN (@espn) July 28, 2015

The Flying Hawaiian will certainly be missed in Beantown as his heroics are sure to be eternalized in Boston lore. Victorino posted a farewell to Red Sox Nation on Twitter as well:

Thank you, #RedSoxNation! pic.twitter.com/3gBEhw9O6X

— Shane Victorino (@ShaneVictorino) July 28, 2015

He now heads to Anaheim where he can still offer some solid veteran value, provided he stays healthy. Various DL stints have limited Victorino to just 30 games played this year. He holds putrid season hitting splits of .245/.324/.298 with just one home run and a career-low 75 OPS+. But some improvement can be expected now that the 2-time All-Star is back in playing shape.

Victorino is a 4-time Gold Glove winner that can still provide above-average defense in the outfield and that still poses a threat on the basepaths. The Angels have been transcendently disastrous in left field this season after the Josh Hamilton fiasco and the Missing Person Report known as Matt Joyce. Though Victorino only has 56 career starts in left, the team likely envisions him as a platoon outfielder that can hit left-handed pitching.

Victorino’s value has significantly diminished with age, especially since he is no longer a switch-hitter. But he was still acquired for next to nothing so it’s hard to complain.

Sources: Victorino has about $4.9M left in salary on 3-year, $39M deal; Red Sox will pay about $3.8M, with the Angels responsible for $1.1M.

— Alex Speier (@alexspeier) July 27, 2015

Hopefully, this is a precursor to a larger deal by Angels interim GM Bill Stoneman. Stoneman took over after Jerry Dipoto’s failed power play and has never been known for making big splashes at the trade deadline. But if he could complete the platoon with a guy like a David Murphy or a Ben Revere to make up for Victorino’s deficiencies against righties, it would be more than enough.