Former All-Star second baseman Brian Dozier announced on Thursday that he’s retiring after a nine-year career in the Majors and at the age of 33.
An eighth-round pick by the Twins back in 2009, Dozier was never considered a premium prospect even within his own organization, topping out as Baseball America’s No. 10 Twins prospect heading into the 2012 season. That didn’t stop the University of Southern Mississippi product from not only making it to the big leagues but to cementing himself as one of the club’s better players of the past decade.
After an inauspicious debut in 2012, Dozier claimed the everyday second base job at Target Field in 2013 and steadily improved his output at the plate over the next several years. In a brief but excellent peak from 2013-17, Dozier was one of the game’s best all-around second basemen, hitting at a .252/.333/.465 clip with 145 home runs, 81 stolen bases and solid defense. Along the way, he won a Gold Glove, made an All-Star team and took home MVP votes in three different seasons. Dozier was worth about 22 wins above replacement in that five-year stretch according to both the Baseball-Reference and FanGraphs versions of the metric.
Unfortunately for both the Twins and for Dozier, he sustained a knee injury early in the 2018 campaign that severely hampered him at the plate. He was traded to the Dodgers that summer and struggled badly down the stretch — hardly the platform any player would want for his first trip to free agency.
Dozier landed a one-year, $9MM deal with the Nationals that winter and served as the club’s primary second baseman for most of the year. In many ways, Dozier enjoyed a rebound campaign, posting a .238/.340/.430 output with 20 homers and 20 doubles alike. His playing time faded late in the year, however, as hot-hitting trade acquisition Asdrubal Cabrera saw more and more of the playing time at second base. Dozier kept his spot on the Nationals’ postseason roster and was hailed as a vital presence in the clubhouse, but he tallied just seven plate appearances during the club’s World Series run.
Dozier signed a minor league deal with the Padres prior to the 2020 season before requesting his release and turning up for a brief seven-game stint with the Mets. That proved to be the final act of Dozier’s career.
All in all, Dozier will head into retirement as a career .244/.325/.441 hitter with 192 home runs, 231 doubles, 21 triples, 105 steals, 664 runs scored and 581 runs driven in. He made an All-Star team, won a Gold Glove, and in his final full season took home a World Series ring for his role in the Nationals’ improbable Cinderella run. Dozier cleared $30MM in salary during a career that Baseball-Reference pegged at 22.7 WAR and FanGraphs valued at 23.7 WAR. Best wishes to Dozier on the next chapter.
I remember when Dodgers fans raved about him being the centerpiece deal of their trade mid-season… how did that work out? He had a couple good years prior but he wasn’t the player they raved about.
About as good as the Logan Forsythe for Jose De Leon trade for both teams.
Maybe it was Washington fans… either way, he didn’t do well on either team and was highly overrated based on two great years.
Kinda sounds like you don’t “remember” all so well
The part I do remember is that he was very overrated. I was on a forum with fans of both and they raved about him.
I’m surprised he’s retiring at 33, Nelson Cruz was just entering his prime years at 33? Dozier raked for several years and he didn’t exactly fall off a cliff in terms of production before Cabrera showed up
I guess when your ready its your time
What does this even mean? Machado was the biggest player they traded for that year and Dozier was a surprise at the deadline. Probably a Giants fan reaching to Dodger hate
@amk….His handle would indicate he’s likely a Boston fan
And I remember when the Red Sox traded mookie betts to the dodgers and then they immediately won a World Series. That was fun. Do you remember that pwndroia?
I remember the Dodgers not winning anything for the first 20 years of the 21st century despite being competitive the whole time
@fletcherfan69 I also remember during that time the angels wasting the best player on the planet, do you? Or is it only selective memory?
Is this a member berries chat?
Ill go…I remember all of Mike Trouts 12 career playoff abs in his first 10 years in the bigs ;(
yo tatsumaki i don’t like the angels or even baseball really i only like david fletcher
Sorry Carlos, I can’t hear you over all the loud bangs and buzzes coming from your dugout
Creepy so you’re more like a stalker. If David fletcher ever goes missing contact this guy immediately.
I respect the man’s game. I have no clue what he’s up to when he’s off the field. I’m more of a Nascar Truck Series fan but go off bud, keep projecting your failures onto others just because you’re sad that Twins got worse this offseason.
Its funny that people actually argue with each other on the internet.
You watch pickup trucks drive around in a circle 500 times? Cool story bro. Don’t be so defensive about your man love for fletcher. It’s 2021 it’s safe to come out of the closet
I would ask you what you’re doing here if you’re a nascar truck series fan but I’m almost positive I don’t want to know the answer. I’ll just assume you want to troll people who can actually read what you’re writing. You must have been raised but some of the more well-to-do inbred hill people that had access to books.
“Competitive” is relative. During the Murdoch/Fox and McCourt years, those owners wanted to be competitive while having the lowest payroll they thought possible and Murdoch/Fox didn’t even really care about being in the playoffs. Jason Phillips and Brett Maybe started one two many games at catcher.
yo, was cliff pennington a angel when he got traded to toronto?
Its not the Angels fault St Louis only offered Pujols 7/170 million
And I do remember Matt Carpenter knocking the Dodgers out in 2013 and 2014 with some help from ‘Big City’
Finished career with a 18.00 ERA
I actually wanted him traded. He wasn’t coming back.
The whole debate was wether or not DeLeon was enough to get Dozier at the deadline and the Twins wanted more. We didn’t budge and moved on to Forsythe and got Dozier a year or so later for much less…I don’t recall ever seeing anyone saying that his acquisition at that point was a game changer tbh
What’s crazy is the year (or two) prior, the Dodgers tried to get Dozier at the trade deadline as well, but the Twins wanted Bellinger. That would have been a franchise-altering trade.
@pwndroia: That’s just how Dodgers fans are. On July 18th, 2011, they lit Twitter up when Los Angeles hired a new janitor that was originally the number 3 floor sweep at Yankee Stadium, straight out of Valparaiso. They raved, “#Dynasty! We be having the cleanest walkways in MLB!”
At least they knew David Freese wouldn’t be slipping on some peanut shells and getting injured he had something like that happen his rookie year lifting weights, screwed up his ankle in what was called a ‘freak accident’
I always say you want strange read fiction, you want down right bizarre read history
Kinda crazy that he made only $30M which is how the system punishes guys like him. If you have one or two MVP-level seasons before you hit FA and then get hurt, you’ll never get paid relative to your production. But nobody really cares about that vs. when someone gets overpaid.
Well his issue was when it came time to get paid, he stopped being good.
Brian Dozier had an MVP like year? That’s news to me.
I will say, I didn’t realize he hit so many homeruns a couple years, but he still wasn’t even top 10 for MVP
2016 he had a 6.3 fwar, which isn’t quite MVP caliber but it is pretty darn good.
Not disagreeing he wasn’t good for two years but the above poster claimed he was MVP caliber.
SteveNebraska 6.3 total WAR has won MVP awards in the past, mainly before advance statistics. Some from that Era would say 6.3 FWAR is damn good
Should’ve hung on one more year to get that pension.
Yeah, how’s he ever going to make it when he only made 30 Mil the last 9 years…..
In this economy?
after taxes and agents fees that 30 million is probably more like 10 to 15 million . Still a nice haul though
I think he’s qualified for a pension with 9 years but it may be structured so he doesn’t draw any until he’s 60. If that’s the case he should try getting in that one more year. I’d like to see the Cards make him an offer if the NL goes with the DH again. We have Carp staged for that spot and Dozier is a much better hitter (even injured) than Carp has been for the past 4-5 years.
He stop being good at the worst time, just a case of bad luck that is all.
He still made $30 million so he will be ok.
Don’t forget he’s got a stimulus check coming. that’ll help feed the kids and pay the rent.
Sure, earning $30Million playing a game is so punishing.
You make it sound like it’s easy to push your body to the point where people will pay you millions to ‘play a game’. It’s not, gramps.
Which game are we talking about here the one with a controller in someone’s hands, or the one where they go out and play 162 games in a season in the summer heat? That heat alone is draining.
Timing, luck, demand, and market conditions all play a part. Just go out and perform and control what he can.
Only 30 million for a mediocre player.
What a travesty; now I finally understand what Tony Clark is so mad about all the time.
Here is to a decent career and enjoy your retirement.
I thought he was going to be a mainstay in the league after his few rock-solid years in Minnesota, but that never came to fruition. Wish him well in retirement.
Can you please stop posing as a teenager? Kinda creepy .
Hey lolmetz, what’s up?
I’ve been waiting for the new handle. Just wasn’t the same without him criticizing everybody on this site.
Sounds to me like he thinks you catfishing a website Rangers29
To them this site is named Trollacommentor.com not mlbtraderumors.com
Stinks Dozier never got the big payday we thought he would after 2016. Ultimately Twins were right for not doing so.
When the phone doesn’t ring anymore, retirement is the next step.
“Was never considered a premium prospect” ? Nice way to send a guy off into retirement@MLBTR .
Some guys see that as a compliment ! Better to over achieve than the other way ?
Love ours user name !! Does cork float in juice ??? Lol
Not in juice but I floated in the attic till Lofton got me down.
I don’t think it’s an insult to point out that someone was never a top prospect but nonetheless beat all expectations to become a 40-homer All Star who made $30M+ in a nine-year career.
Agree Steve Adams, I certainly wouldn’t be ashamed to tell my grandkids I punched out 42 homeruns one year, and was in the MVP voting for 3 years reaching #11. Was a good fielder & base runner.
It’s not an insult at all. I’d like see what person here that wouldn’t take that
deal if it was offered to them. Reading some of the comments reminds me
why I stopped coming around here a few years ago.
‘His ambition far exceeded his talent’ and good for him for doing so!
I will always remember that 2016 season where you went off and led me to a fantasy baseball 2 peat. Have a great retirement and go sign that one day contract to retire as a twin. Happy travels Dozier.
Solid in 2019, turning 34, no reason he couldn’t find another opportunity
This is what I thought as well, Nelson Cruz didn’t hit his prime years till 33
He will always be welcome in DC for eventual Old Timers Days or sooner the chance to finally celebrate the 2019 Championship in front of an adoring crowd. He might not have been a big factor in the playoffs, but he was a big part of the spirit that brought the team back from the depths. Nobody celebrated like Dozier and Gerardo “Baby Shark” Parra.
He made some money and got a ring. He did alright for himself
Guy had a couple lucky seasons now he’s trash.
Retiring at 32. Big time quitter and loooooser
Seriously? A loser to your standards? Sorry you are butt hurt because your Mom refuses to send down lube to your basement.
From what I’ve seen here lately Besbol is just a huge troll. Don’t feed the trolls lol
troll
You do realize that hitting 35 or more homeruns in a year is something only the best power hitters do?
LOL, LOL
Who?
Seriously? A loser to your standards? Sorry you are butt hurt because your Mom refuses to send down lube to your basement.
Dang was hoping the cards would at least sign him to cheap deal to play second if edman struggles
Edman won’t have much trouble on defense. He’s quick with a good glove and a strong arm. He’s no Wong but he’s a better hitter — especially if he can return to his rookie form with a 300 BA. If he can develop a really good defense and continue to hit well (about 290) he could be an all star. Being a switch hitter helps too.
He was pretty decent in 2019. Not the fantastic hitter he was in 2016-2017, but not bad for a platoon/bench bat. Figured some team would pick him up for some 2B help, maybe at the corner infield as well.
I heard the Mets had interest in bringing him back again to NY as a utility player but he choose to retire instead. Mets should sign Jake Odorizzi before Dunedin does.
Hopefully some of the veterans on the retirement team have a talk with him… if you get the reference then cool, if you don’t, then you probably think more of Mr. Dozier than I do.
Made some good money, won a ring, now go enjoy your family!
Doesn’t 10 years earn a pension? If it is then I’m surprised he didn’t stick around one more season
No, the pension maxes out at 10 years. Pension kicks it after 43 days of service.
Yeah, it’s a pretty sweet deal for him. Hopefully his knee doesn’t hamper his daily activities. Only 32 yrs.
Wish the twins pulled a Jared Allen with him… one of my favorite players
Thanks for the fun memories in San Diego
fell off quite quickly
good assessment
At least a delusional fan who has drunk too much Kool-Aid is screaming for Dozier’s enshrinement at Cooperstown – happens every time a popular player retires
Enjoy retirement Mr. Dozier, see you in Cooperstown!
……tickets are $24.99
Best of luck to Brian and hope he stays in baseball in some capacity. He was an integral part of the Nationals’ clubhouse chemistry in their WS season. And the man can dance.
*twerk
Best Wishes for your retirement. Please keep your shirt on!!!
My son went to school with him, he is still very nice person, absolutely no conceit even though he was a successful big leaguer.
Him working out last offseason in his garage with propane tanks may be the most Mississippi thing I’ve heard of haha. Very solid career. Could argue he was the best second baseman for a few years
Brian Dozier is a genuinely good dude who always showed a lot of leadership and always had time for the fans. I saw him at Twinsfest a few times it was obvious he loved engaging with fans. Happy Retirement Brian.
Are we really calling the 2019 Nationals an “improbable Cinderella” team? I know they were a Wild Card but they won 93 games and featured one of the best, if not the best, starting rotations. No one was shocked that the Nationals went on a run.
Cinderella should be preserved for teams like the 87 Twins or the 69 Mets.
I guess they improbably won a few of the individual games in the postseason, and they beat the Dodgers… and the media ran with it from there.
I would not even call it improbable for ’19 Nats… They had a comeback season all year long. winning the majority of their games after the seventh inning…
The one exception that was improbable was my birthday 9/3
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Thank you. It was the terrible start as to why they didn’t win. If you take away their first 30-40 games, they had the best record in the league I’m pretty sure. Maybe 2nd to the dodgers.
Sure, but they also never were in first place.
93 Wins. Starting rotation of Strausburg, Scherzer, and Corbin. They were in no way a Cinderella squad and nothing about their run was improbable.
Oh they finished in 1st place alright…..when it mattered.
Good luck on the next phase of life Mr. Bull Dozier. Only one year with the my beloved Nats, but I loved what you brought to the team. a Steady Freddy for your whole career… there are worse things that you could be known for. Now go have some fun with the Family