One veteran MLB catcher is officially firing up Semisonic’s “Closing Time.”
Former All-Star backstop Jason Castro announced his retirement in a series of posts to social media on Friday. Castro said that he “achieve[d] more than I could have ever imagined” and thanked his family, teammates, coaches, the fans, and more.
Today, I officially announce my retirement from Major League Baseball. Over the last 15 years of pro ball, I have been blessed with many incredible opportunities and have met so many people along the way that helped me achieve more than I could have ever imagined.
— Jason Castro (@J_Castro15) December 2, 2022
To my wife and family, thank you for your love and support over the years. To my parents, thank you for the sacrifices you made to enable this dream to become a reality. To my teammates, thank you for this incredible journey and for pushing me to become a better player.
— Jason Castro (@J_Castro15) December 2, 2022
To the fans, coaches, staff, my agent and all my friends who supported me along the way…Thank you. What a way to end it.
— Jason Castro (@J_Castro15) December 2, 2022
The 35-year-old Castro began his MLB career with the Houston Astros in 2010 and made the AL All-Star team with them in 2013. After subsequent stints with the Minnesota Twins, Los Angeles Angels, and San Diego Padres, Castro returned for a second go-around with Houston in 2021. He batted .115 with one homer and three RBIs in 34 appearances for them in 2022 before a knee injury ended his season early. Though Castro was unable to participate in the playoffs, he still received a ring, the first of his career, when Houston beat the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series.
With 952 MLB games under his belt (plus his fair share of big moments in the postseason), Castro can now call it quits on a fulfilling career well done.
