Veteran infielder Jose Reyes has announced his retirement from the game. The 37-year-old appeared in 16 MLB seasons.
Reyes had at one point hoped to play in the 2019 season, but evidently did not draw sufficient interest to continue his career. It isn’t surprising at this point to hear that he will no longer pursue playing opportunities.
There’s no denying what a dynamic player Reyes was at his height. During his first run with the Mets, he turned in 4,453 plate appearances of .292/.341/.441 hitting with 81 home runs and 370 steals while delivering excellent glovework at the shortstop position.
By the end of the 2011 season, Reyes had accumulated four All-Star appearances and 28 rWAR. He was never better at the plate than in 2011, when he posted a .337/.384/.493 slash to set the stage for a lucrative trip onto the free agent market.
Reyes landed with the Marlins on a $106MM deal. While he performed well in his first season in Miami, the team shipped him and other veterans to the Blue Jays at season’s end. Reyes supplied two more quality campaigns in Toronto before hitting a wall in 2015. That set the stage for a blockbuster swap in which the Jays sent Reyes and prospects to Colorado for Rockies star Troy Tulowitzki.
While his struggles continued down the stretch in 2015, Reyes seemed primed for a rebound effort in the ensuing season. Instead, he was arrested in the offseason and faced charges for domestic abuse. Though charges were dropped because the alleged victim declined to testify, Reyes admitted he had made a “terrible mistake” and MLB found sufficient evidence to impose a suspension under the league’s domestic violence policy.
The Mets elected to overlook the awful situation and brought Reyes in for a second stint. He provided solid output for the 2016 and 2017 seasons but scuffled to a .189/.260/.320 slash line in what turned out to be his final campaign.
his 2018 stat line was .189/.260/.320
I think that’s supposed to be a .189 average, not .289 average, in his final season.
I was just wondering how you have such a high avg. vs .obp. Typo makes sense.
That would entail a lot of sac flies
And hardly any, if any walks.
yep, fixed, thanks
Just in case the Marlins call
hahaha…it took me a sec but I got it lol, nice
Sorry gotta laugh about things, especially this year
The Help Wanted sign in front of the stadium says it all.
Lol!!
he was one of my first draft picks in fantasy baseball, he was a rookie that year <3
Nah, Jose Reyes lives really close to me here on Long Island. And is enjoying life outside of baseball. It’s the Mets or bust for him. So he’s done. Watch out for this Jorge Mateo kid on the Friars. He reminds so much of a young Jose Reyes. Very versatile kid also. Can play 2nd base, shortstop, 3rd, and some centerfield
Mateo is awful.
Does he play everyday? If not, how can you judge him by saying he is awful? You can put him all over the diamond. And he has blazing speed like Reyes did. I would definitely take a chance on him.
Are you the same guy arguing about how good Mateo is and how he reminded you of Reyes on another article? I’ll have to go find what I said about Mateo on that article.
He’s not good. He’s 25 and has yet to sniff the majors. Reyes was a starter at what, 21? All-star at 22? There’s hundreds of fast infielders that can play multiple positions.
Not sure what you mean by watch out either. His career has been on a downward swing ever since he had 80 something stolen bases. His no longer a decent prospect and has been traded twice.
Mateo has played everyday in the minors and the results aren’t good. Why would he suddenly be good in the majors? Plays multiple positions (none well), has blazing speed, can’t hit. Doesn’t sound too promising.
Sounds like Billy Hamilton without the defensive prowess in centerfield
Had all the talent in the world. He could make you jump out of your seat one minute and make you shake your head the next.
Fun player to watch.
Good riddance
It’s ok he can still rap
Best SS in NYM history.
He should pursue his rapping career. I don’t speak Spanish so I don’t know what he’s really saying but he sounds good.
Remember when the baseball media slobbered all over itself because the Blue Jays mortgaged their future to acquire this clown?
The only guy it that deal that has played is Marisnek. All of the others flamed out so they didn’t mortgage too much. Do your research before posting.
Every single player in that deal has played, not sure what you’re talking about. Maybe do your own research?
And Reyes was really pissed because he didn’t want to play in Toronto
He was pissed because loria told reyes buy a house in Florida im not trading you..then dismantled the whole team and sent him off to Toronto
All of the prospects in that deal (Hech, DiScalfani, Nicolino, Marisnick) have been mediocre to replacement level players. Hech was one of the worst players in baseball while Reyes was in Toronto.
That trade was all stars going to Toronto and guys that played and are still playing to Miami.. .maybe youre confused with the trade to Colorado where he went with 2 no names and a brief mlb’er named jeff hoffman for Hawkins and tulowitski
No!!!! I need him for my “All Older Than Me Team!”
I can’t just rely on Jed Lowrie for SS, especially since he isn’t even on an active roster. At least Nick Markakis is back.
Take heart. My team is down to hoping someone brings back Bartolo Colon. Even Fernando Rodney’s return doesn’t help me. He’s 5 months younger than me.
Reyes wasn’t retired? Has Rey Ordonez announced his retirement yet?
Kaz Matusi?
Great career. It was cool to see him on the Jays even though we didn’t get the best version of him. He was a ridiculously dynamic and exciting player in his prime (the middle of the 2000’s). With the way that the game is now it’s likely going to be quite awhile until we see someone top his 78 stolen bases in 2007. It took 15 seasons for Reyes to match Marquis Grissom’s number back in 1992 and since 2007 only one other player has even stolen 70 in a season (Jacoby Ellsbury in 2009).
Not to be forgotten either is the ridiculous amount of triples he racked up; to me it’s probably the most impressive part of his career. He led all of baseball four times while having seven seasons of at least 10 triples. He’s tied for 78th all-time in triples but if you look through the guys ahead of him only nine of them played in a post-WW2 year. 34 year old Dexter Fowler and 36 year old Brett Gardner are the two active players with the most career triples (82 and 68 respectively) and they’re not even close to approaching his career mark.
First time I saw him was leading off for Columbia in the SAL against Savannah. He hit a gapper and was standing on 3rd in what seemed like 10 seconds.
Guy should have never left the mets..no reason they couldnt pay him and make him a lifetime met…
Next stop Cooperstown. First ballot HOF. Thanks for the memories Jose Reyes.
dont think he was good enough for long enough to get over the off the field problems
Toodle-Loo, Scooby-Doo!!!
In other mets shortstop news, 5 yrs ago today 7/29 was the flores was traded game.
109 OPS+ as a Marlin
105 OPS+ as a Jay
104 OPS+ as a Met
Had a couple great years but was one of the most overrated players. Had a great overall career though.
Had a great career but overrated?
All the best to him. Fun player to watch
Always appreciated his effort and enthusiasm on the field. Nothing quite like seeing him hit a ball into the right field corner and bust it for a triple. One if the better talents to come through the system in the history of the Mets.