1:02pm: Hellickson tells Tommy Birch of the Des Moines Register that he has indeed opted to retire. He’d have required another surgery to repair his shoulder and opted against the arduous process of rehabilitating from that procedure. Best wishes to Hellickson in his post-playing days.
11:24am: Right-hander Jeremy Hellickson isn’t likely to pitch in the upcoming season, Craig Mish of FNTSY Sports Radio reports (via Twitter). The 32-year-old righty battled shoulder problems for much of the 2019 season with the Nationals and suffered an offseason setback in rehabbing the injury.
Hellickson proved to be a shrewed minor league pickup for the Nats in 2018, tossing 91 1/3 innings of 3.45 ERA ball over the course of 19 starts. That showing earned him a big league deal to return to the Nationals late last winter, but his shoulder woes limited him to 39 innings, during which time he was tagged for 27 runs (6.23 ERA) on 47 hits and 20 walks with 30 strikeouts. His final pitch of the season came on May 19.
What’s next for Hellickson remains unclear. He could certainly rehab the issue between now and the offseason in hopes of pursuing a minor league deal and another comeback effort next winter. Then again, Mish at least implies that the righty has contemplated calling it a career.
Whatever route he takes, Hellickson will have plenty of fond memories on which to look back. A fourth-round pick by the (Devil) Rays back in 2005, he burst onto the scene and won American League Rookie of the Year honors in 2011 when he racked up 189 innings with a 2.95 ERA. Hellickson was similarly excellent the following season, and although he endured some rough seasons in the next couple of years, he also enjoyed a solid bounceback effort with the 2016 Phillies in addition to his strong work with the ’18 Nats.
All told, Hellickson has pitched 1269 1/3 innings in the big leagues, compiling a 76-75 record and a 4.13 ERA with 6.6 K/9, 2.7 BB/9 and 1.3 HR/9 along the way. Hellickson never made an All-Star team but did win a Gold Glove Award in 2012 and took home a World Series ring as a member of the 2019 Nationals. He’s earned more than $35MM in his career to date when factoring in his above-slot $500K bonus from the ’05 draft. Perhaps that’s not quite the career that he and many onlookers hoped for when he was ranked a top 10 overall prospect and subsequently won Rookie of the Year honors, but it’s a career that virtually any player would be thrilled to call his own.
That’s too bad.
Reports that he has retired. Gold glove, ROY, and a WS champ. You made Des Moines proud, Jeremy!
10 years in the majors and made $35 million, got some cool awards and a WS ring.
His first 33 years were a lot more interesting and rewarding than most.
and mediocre career. what a scam
I don’t know you and I apologize if you have more than $35 million and a better career But I’m gonna take a really big guess hear that you don’t.
More trolls. MLB trade rumors needs to clean this crap up.
Gets to go out a champion. Congrats
Shame injuries have ended his career at age 32 but he had success in a 10 yr career and certainly made good money! Best of luck going forward.
Good bye, and good riddance.
Awesome story, dude. Stay classy.
Will be missed. He was fun to watch in 2011.
Good choice by him, I loved watching him pitch in his hayday, but trying to come back from another injury to go pitch again would put a toll on his body for the long run. Best of wishes to him.
One of my all time favorite pitchers. I loved his calmness on the mound. Solid career. Was so happy when the orioles traded for him. Too bad it didn’t work out, but I still liked watching him pitch
hometown boy made us proud. best of luck on your next career path.
Had he not win the WS in 2019 I wonder if he would have gave it another shot….easier to make that decision to retire after coming off a WS celebration at 32
2-3 with 6.23 and he got a ring?
Where is you’re ring? What’s you’re ERA? What’s you’re W-L record?
And $35 million
I hate people like you Tapeman. People like you are why the world is such a mean place now. Pathetic troll.
You are not even going to look beyond the moment to the body of work?
He was a great stop gap move when he came to the Nats. He was the one in ten that work out. His bad numbers have more to do with health than failure to launch (his pitches that is)
You’ve accomplished nothing in your sad sack trolling life you 2bit bum. You still live with your mom you 4am video game nerd. No retirement savings and $4 in your bank account. Go home. And shut up up loser. Tapefag69yourblowupdoll
Way to give the scoop to the hometown paper. Nice move
His 1st year was brilliant. Loved watching Aroid swing at the his changeup every damn time and missing it.
I don’t get all the negative comments.
Too much Trump?
MAGA
That escalated quickly from “not expected to pitch in 2020” to not pitching again period.
I really liked watching this guy pitch. Happy Retirement Jeremey!
I’m curious – Because he’s not hooked on to a major league team, would he have to pay for his own surgery and rehab? I get that he has insurance but it must be private at this point since he’s not employed? Just wondering how the financials workout. Surgeries aren’t cheap.
He made 35 mil by the time he was 32. That’s how the financials work.
He avoids surgery and re-hab and gets to spend life with his family. It’s a no-brainer.
That’s not even what I was asking. It was even cloaked in some smugness which was just some smelly icing on a cake I didn’t even want.
If he has his own private insurance, he would get his surgery done through that. His deductible probably would be a few hundred to a few thousand dollars for the year. Insurance would cover it ( as a pre-existing condition, thanks to Obamacare) and the rehab / PT afterwards, plus meds and follow up Doctor visits, minus any additional deductibles.
Sonorawind has it right, if you’ve made a lot of money, having and paying for private medical insurance is a no brainer financially for him and his family assuming he has invested wisely and made it grow and set aside plenty for his retirement.
Jeremy, just want to say good luck to you and yours. Been fun following your career. Thanks. Hope nothing but the best for you and all your future endeavors. A fan.
A). Good luck at your future endeavors, Jeremy!
B). “Shrewed”?