Veteran infielder Casey Blake announced that he will retire from baseball, according to Bryce Miller of the Des Moines Register. The 38-year-old said he considered playing for one more year before deciding to move on.
“I just decided to shut it down,” he said. “And I’m OK with the decision.”
Blake will retire with 167 home runs and a .264/.336/.442 batting line after a career that included stops in Cleveland, Los Angeles, Minnesota, Baltimore and Toronto. He averaged 22 home runs per season with an .800 OPS in his prime, from 2004-08.
Blake spent considerable time on the disabled list last year as he dealt with a cervical strain. Agent Jim McDowell represents the veteran infielder, who earned more than $32MM over the course of his 13-year career. The Rangers expressed interest in Blake after the Rockies released him this spring, the Register reports.
