Outfielder Jayson Werth, an integral part of the Philadelphia Phillies’ 2008 World Series championship team, announced his retirement Wednesday, according to Bleacher Report and ESPN.
The news was first reported by Jon Heyman of Fancred Sports.
Werth, 39, was attempting a comeback with the Seattle Mariners’ Class AAA affiliate in Tacoma. He played in 36 games with Tacoma, batting .206, but hasn’t seen action since June 8.
While he did not use the word “retirement” in a phone interview with Heyman, Werth made it clear where his intentions stand.
“I’m done … whatever you want to call it,” he said.
Werth’s Major League career took a while to get going. Selected in the first round of the 1997 draft by the Baltimore Orioles, Werth had brief stints in the Majors with the Toronto Blue Jays and the Los Angeles Dodgers, but didn’t come into his own until he joined the Phillies as an everyday player in 2007.
Werth spent four seasons in Philadelphia and was a vital part of their back-to-back World Series appearances in 2008 and 2009. He was an All-Star in 2009
After the 2010 season, Werth signed a seven-year, $126 million free-agent contract with the Nationals, drawing the ire of some Philadelphia fans, some of whom let him hear it whenever the Nats came to town.
Werth helped Washington make four straight playoff appearances after seven years of being shut out of the postseason prior to his arrival.
He finishes his 15-year Major League career with a .267 batting average, 229 home runs, and 799 RBIs.
