Former Pirates and Yankes right-hander Jeff Karstens took to Twitter yesterday to announce that he has officially retired from the baseball.
Karstens, still just 32 years of age, hasn’t pitched in the Majors since 2012, as a series of shoulder injuries that culminated in 2013 surgery to repair the labrum and rotator cuff in his right shoulder slowed and ultimately ended his career.
Originally a 19th-round selection of the Yankees in 2003 out of Texas Tech, Karstens was traded to the Pirates along with Daniel McCutchen, Jose Tabata and Ross Ohlendorf in the 2008 trade that sent Xavier Nady and Damaso Marte to New York. In 2011-12, the San Diego-born Karstens made 41 starts and eight relief appearances for the Bucs, pitching to a solid 3.59 ERA with 5.8 K/9 and 1.7 BB/9 in 253 innings of work.
Though injuries prevented Karstens from stepping onto a Major League mound following that injury-shortened 2012 season, he was still able to pocket roughly $7.8MM over the life of a career that spanned parts of seven seasons. We at MLB Trade Rumors extend our best wishes to Karstens, as well his family and friends, as he enters his post-playing days.
Yankes
Steve, you made a spelling error. It’s Yankees, not Yankees
Not Yankes haha
Yanks or Yankees. Maybe a new term combo of both??
He was a bright spot in a pretty dismal Pirates rotation for a long time. Never feared the days he started. Wish him best of luck in life.
I’m sad to see him retire and remember his first pitch and last pitch as a Pirate. Even though the body didn’t hold up as a player, I hope one day we get to see him as a coach or manager. Thank you for some great baseball Jeff!
Guy did a lot with pretty marginal stuff; best of luck, JK.
If the Derp King is dead, who is the new King?
Sad to see him go out because of an injury. Good guy and decent pitcher. Was sad to see him go from the Buccos. All the best to Jeff.
Jeff Kartstens, Evan Meek and Matt Capps visited my son in the hospital during one of his many stays before his Heart transplant in 2011. He is definitely a class act. Best of wishes to Jeff in his post playing career.
Was wondering why he wasn’t popping up as an option with anyone. Loved the 69-mph curve. Guy was a bulldog with tools and smarts, but not much in velocity department. Great teammate and community guy as well from everything I’ve read. Wish him best of luck.