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Matt Joyce Retires

By Mark Polishuk | August 1, 2022 at 8:00pm CDT

After 14 Major League seasons, outfielder Matt Joyce has officially retired just two days in advance of his 38th birthday.  Joyce played with the Phillies in 2021 but was released after the year, and he told Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times that he waited a few months into the 2022 campaign to see if he could land any offers from non-independent teams.

When those offers didn’t come, Joyce closed the book on a career that saw him suit up for eight different teams over the course of an even 1400 career games.  Spending the last half of his career bouncing around the majors, he played one season each with the Phillies, Marlins, Braves, Pirates, Angels, and Tigers, while playing two seasons with the Athletics and six seasons with the Rays.

The left-handed hitting Joyce was never able to muster much production against left-handed pitching over his career, which often relegated him to platoon or bench duties.  However, he carved out a comfortable niche for himself as a righty-masher, with a .251/.353/.444 career slash line against right-handed pitching.  Joyce was also one of the more prominent pinch-hitters in baseball history, as his 369 career plate appearances as a pinch-hitter ranks sixth on the all-time list.

A 12th-round pick for the Tigers in the 2006 draft, Joyce made his big league debut with Detroit in 2008 before being dealt to the Rays for (speaking of prominent journeymen) Edwin Jackson in December 2008.  It was a homecoming for the Tampa native Joyce, and he told Topkin that his stint with the Rays “probably means the most to me, looking back.  Just being from here, being raised here, playing here, making the playoffs three out of the five (full) years that I was up with the team.  A lot of really cool memories, a lot of really cool highlights.  That was special, for sure.”

Joyce’s Rays tenure peaked with the 2011 season, when he hit .277/.347/.478 with 19 home runs and was named to his only All-Star team.  For his entire career, Joyce finishes with a .242/.342/.425 slash line and 149 homers over 4355 plate appearances.

“I definitely feel good, and I’m proud of what I was able to accomplish,” Joyce said.  “I think overcoming the biggest trials and failures is really what I’m most proud of.  That ultimately shows a lot about a person, a lot about an athlete.  The fact that they’re just willing to kind of grind and persevere and continue to fail, but you continue to get back up again.  So, yeah, I’m definitely proud of my career.”

We at MLB Trade Rumors congratulate Joyce on a fine career, and wish him the best in his post-baseball endeavors.

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Oakland Athletics Tampa Bay Rays Matt Joyce Retirement

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View Comments (44)

Comments

  1. Rocker49

    7 days ago

    What better time to announce your retirement than the trade deadline lol.

    Reply
    • CravenMoorehead

      7 days ago

      glol

      Reply
  2. Amanda

    7 days ago

    who? completely forgettable.

    Reply
    • Milwaukee-2208

      7 days ago

      Back to the kitchen Amanda

      Reply
      • DonnyElementary

        7 days ago

        She’s gonna spit on our food now.

        Reply
        • Rumy's Ghost

          7 days ago

          Jokes on you, I’m into that! /S

    • Rumy's Ghost

      7 days ago

      Someone didn’t read the article. They tell you who, and what accomplishments he achieved.

      Reply
    • Bravesfan59

      7 days ago

      yeah go back to the kitchen grab me a beer

      Reply
    • getrealgone2

      7 days ago

      Surprised the Red Sox didn’t give him a shot considering how crappy they are.

      Reply
    • vtadave

      7 days ago

      These types of posts don’t help your credibility and that of other women.

      Reply
      • Clown show

        7 days ago

        Yes they do.

        Reply
    • CravenMoorehead

      7 days ago

      Amanda’s posts are as desirable as monkeypox.

      Reply
  3. In nurse follars

    7 days ago

    Rejoice, rejoice, he had no choice but to carry on… (CSN&Y)

    Reply
  4. DarkSide830

    7 days ago

    Phillies Legend

    Reply
  5. bluejays92

    7 days ago

    Really solid career.

    Reply
  6. Abandini

    7 days ago

    Beloved fantasy waiver wire platoon bat

    Reply
  7. Balzenuf

    7 days ago

    good on ya, Matt

    Reply
  8. Datashark

    7 days ago

    Hall of fame clock begins ticking now – Good luck on making it to round 2

    Reply
  9. Amanda

    7 days ago

    ah, he spent most of his career with the rays, now i know why nobody knows or cares who he is, kinda hard to play for 56 fans everynight and keep a name for yourself,. i guess joe madden dressing in tuxedos and having a mariachi band in the clubhouse didnt work? aww shucks!

    Reply
    • Long Suffering Guardians Fan

      7 days ago

      Such a nasty woman.

      Reply
    • Moonlight Grahamcracker

      7 days ago

      Amanda if you’re commenting here then who is cleaning the toilets?!?

      Reply
      • Joey Votto's bat warmer

        7 days ago

        Amanda…..
        Amanda….
        Storms are brewing in your eyes!

        well @#$^! That’s Sarah …my bad!

        Reply
  10. Amanda

    7 days ago

    hes now been fired twice since leaving tampa, ironic aint it?

    Reply
    • Rumy's Ghost

      7 days ago

      Table 5 is still waiting on their mozzarella sticks and table 3 looks like they could use drink refills. Chop chop!

      Reply
      • Joe It All

        7 days ago

        They don’t let Amanda out of the kitchen. They would like to keep their customers. She is there only to do the “Charlie work”

        She is sharpening her Rat Bat as we speak.

        Reply
      • Yanks2

        7 days ago

        LOL!

        Reply
    • CravenMoorehead

      7 days ago

      Cool story, Amanda. Now if you don’t mind I’d like my #4 value meal with a Dr Pepper. Lots of cars in the drive through right now.

      Reply
  11. 5toolMVP

    7 days ago

    Good Riddance.

    Reply
  12. PapiElf

    7 days ago

    “Llegeun te ya, Matt Joyce! Hey Matt Joyce!” – Jesus Aguilar

    Reply
  13. Mickey777

    7 days ago

    Had the great pleasure of meeting Matt and his beautiful wife at the Outer Banks in North Carolina. He was kind, unassuming, and thoroughly likeable. Very nice career Matt, hope the rest of your life goes as well as your career!!!

    Reply
  14. prov356

    7 days ago

    I thought he was retired when he played for the Angels.

    Reply
  15. jorge78

    7 days ago

    Good luck in the future Matt!

    Reply
  16. "Not" Rick Hahn

    7 days ago

    14 yrs! Congrats on a great career!

    Reply
  17. TampaCF

    7 days ago

    What a class act Matt Joyce is. He was part of the Rays learning how to win and was an important part of that process. Best of luck in retirement!!

    Reply
  18. Rsox

    7 days ago

    Brutal with the Phillies last year but had some good seasons.

    Reply
  19. Yanks2

    7 days ago

    This dude hasn’t been relevant since like 2010 lol. He retired a decade too late

    Reply
    • NickVin

      7 days ago

      I mean, the article mentions his best season was 2011 soooo….

      In seriousness, it’s not like the article is celebrating him as all-time player, but he contributed to most teams he was on, and was a solid player with a solid career.

      Reply
      • brewsingblue82

        6 days ago

        Some people, especially Yankees fans, have a hard time realizing that most teams are constructed with the expectation all roles contribute beyond the stars. Hard to understand that when your team just buys it’s way to success year after year. He doesn’t know who Joyce is since the Yankees never employed him.

        Reply
        • Yanks2

          6 days ago

          I remember Joyce when he was on the Rays back in 2010. Just saying he was never very good

  20. Longball

    7 days ago

    I played against Matt in high school and with him in college at Florida Southern. He’s a truly nice person and a solid player. Wish him all the best in his future.

    Reply
  21. Barelybreathin

    7 days ago

    He did something none of you chumps did. He played 14 years in the big leagues. Y’all need to stop running your mouths sometimes.

    Reply
  22. Ignorant Son-of-a-b

    7 days ago

    Poor Amanda

    Reply
  23. bravesfan

    7 days ago

    “Retires”. Aka, can’t find anyone to sign him.

    Good career. Was solid with the Braves when we had him.

    Reply
  24. John Rocker Fan Club

    6 days ago

    Fun Fact: He was the first player suspended by MLB for using a slur.

    Reply

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