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Veteran utilityman Chad Pinder is enjoying his last professional sport, as Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle experiences (Twitter link) that Pinder will retire following tonight’s look with the Braves’ Triple-A affiliate in Gwinnett. Pinder is hitting seventh and beginning at first base for the Stripes as they face the Durham Bulls.
A second-round choose for the Athletics within the 2013 draft, Pinder spent all of his seven Main League seasons in an A’s uniform, batting .242/.294/.417 (96 wRC+) over 1740 plate appearances from 2016-22. The best-handed hitting Pinder was naturally extra productive in opposition to lefties than righties, as he had a .778 profession OPS in opposition to southpaws and a .660 OPS in opposition to right-handed pitching. Pinder had solely 26 profession postseason plate appearances, however he made them rely, posting a whopping 1.021 OPS throughout Oakland’s 2020 playoff run.
Past his work on the plate, Pinder was additionally immensely beneficial to the A’s as a Swiss military knife of a utility participant. Over his 537 profession video games within the large leagues, he made appearances as a left fielder (195 video games), proper fielder (148), second baseman (92), third baseman (55), shortstop (43), middle fielder (16), first baseman (six) and even a single look on the mound. Pinder’s capacity to play anyplace allowed Oakland’s managers and entrance workplace some additional flexibility in deciding the right way to fill out a roster, the right way to account for accidents, or in deciding on in-game changes.
The 2022 season noticed Pinder make a career-high 379 PA, as there was loads of enjoying time available on a rebuilding Athletics crew that was nearly bereft of veteran gamers. Nevertheless, Pinder hit solely .235/.263/.385, and had a sub-replacement degree -0.1 fWAR. The A’s let Pinder go in free company, and Atlanta represents Pinder’s third minor league deal of the final 5 months. The Reds reduce Pinder from their minors deal close to the top of Spring Coaching, and a follow-up minor league contract with the Nationals additionally led to a launch in early Might.
Cumulatively, Pinder has hit .256/.322/.402 over 90 PA on the Triple-A degree this season with the Nats’ and Braves’ prime associates, however it might seem as if he has determined to hold up his glove reasonably than wait for an additional name to the majors. Pinder simply turned 31 again in March, however it looks as if the following part of his baseball profession may simply be beginning, as Pinder appears more likely to get a variety of teaching affords. As Slusser writes, Pinder was “at all times an outstanding and unselfish crew chief. He shall be an awesome supervisor sooner or later.”
We at MLB Commerce Rumors congratulate Pinder on a tremendous profession, and we want him all the very best in his post-playing endeavors.
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