Longtime MLB reliever Jake McGee is retiring, he tells Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. The 36-year-old mentioned he’ll return to Tropicana Subject in some unspecified time in the future subsequent season to have a good time his time with the Rays’ group.
“I really feel prefer it’s type of the appropriate time,” McGee mentioned. “I’d fairly be at dwelling with my household. I performed 13 years. I received a World Sequence in ‘20. It’s about time to cease. I don’t wish to grind it out and maintain bouncing round and stuff like that.” He tells Topkin {that a} mixture of ongoing knee points and a need to spend extra time along with his spouse and their daughter contributed to his choice to step away at this level.
McGee entered the skilled ranks almost twenty years in the past. Drafted by the then-Satan Rays within the fifth spherical in 2004 out of a Nevada highschool, he spent just a few seasons climbing the minor league ladder as a beginning pitcher. He thrice appeared amongst Baseball America’s prime 100 prospect checklist, peaking at fifteenth heading into the 2008 season. Whereas preliminary stories of a possible future as a top-of-the-rotation starter didn’t materialize — maybe partly on account of a 2008 Tommy John process — McGee took off upon transferring to the bullpen in 2010.
The southpaw made his large league debut as a September call-up that 12 months, not lengthy after his twenty fourth birthday. He bounced on and off the MLB roster the next season and carved out a everlasting bullpen position by 2012. McGee posted a glowing 1.95 ERA with an enormous 34.4% strikeout price throughout 55 1/3 innings, kicking off just a few seasons as one of many sport’s finest reduction weapons.
Over a three-year stretch from 2012-14, McGee prevented the injured checklist and soaked up 189 1/3 frames of two.61 ERA ball. His 31.9% strikeout share over that run ranked thirteenth amongst relievers with 100+ innings and solely seven relievers had a bigger hole between their strikeout and stroll charges. Whereas he by no means made an All-Star workforce, he was clearly among the many sport’s prime high-leverage arms.
The 2015 season was McGee’s last with the Rays. It proved a problem, as he was delayed to begin the 12 months by offseason elbow surgical procedure and tore the meniscus in his left knee late within the season. When wholesome sufficient to take the mound, he had one other wonderful displaying. McGee twirled 37 1/3 innings with a 2.41 ERA and 32.7% strikeout share.
With Tampa Bay coming off an 80-82 file and McGee two seasons from free company, he grew to become one of many following offseason’s extra intriguing commerce chips. The Rays ultimately packaged him with then-prospect Germán Márquez to the Rockies for outfielder Corey Dickerson and minor league infielder Kevin Padlo. The deal paid specific dividends for Colorado with Márquez’s emergence into workers ace, however McGee himself had a stable run early in his time there.
After a disappointing 4.73 ERA displaying throughout his first season as a Rockie, he bounced again to the tune of a 3.61 mark throughout 57 1/3 innings in 2017 — serving to the workforce to a Wild Card berth. That’s no small feat within the sport’s most hitter-friendly dwelling venue, and the Rox saved him round by way of free company. He signed a three-year, $27MM deal over the 2017-18 offseason, a part of a bullpen spending spree that additionally noticed Colorado usher in Bryan Shaw and Wade Davis.
That didn’t pan out because the group hoped. Every of Shaw, McGee and Davis struggled to various levels. Dwelling runs grew to become a specific points in McGee’s case, as his heavy reliance on four-seam fastballs up within the strike zone misplaced effectiveness when his velocity dipped a pair ticks through the 2018-19 seasons. The Rockies launched McGee two seasons into the contract, however he promptly kicked off a late-career renaissance with a pair of division rivals.
Signing with the Dodgers for the shortened 2020 marketing campaign, McGee ranked fifth amongst certified relievers with a 41.8% strikeout price over 24 outings. He noticed some motion in each the Championship Sequence and the World Sequence, stepping into one sport throughout a Fall Traditional towards his authentic group. The Dodgers defeated the Rays in six video games to win the one championship of McGee’s profession, although he was a part of one other very profitable membership in San Francisco the following season.
He inked a two-year, $7MM cope with the Giants. In the course of the first season, he picked up largely the place he’d left off in L.A. McGee’s strikeouts fell again to 24.3%, however he was among the many sport’s stingiest at avoiding walks and posted a 2.72 ERA by 59 2/3 innings. He assumed the closing position for chunk of the 12 months, saving 31 of San Francisco’s 107 wins. The Giants edged out the Dodgers in a decent NL West race however noticed L.A. get their revenge in a five-game Division Sequence that October.
The 2022 season, which’ll show to be McGee’s final, was a battle. He was hit onerous by 24 contests in San Francisco, resulting in his launch in July. The veteran caught on briefly with the Brewers and Nationals at factors through the second half however didn’t discover a lot success at both cease. His last outing got here in early September earlier than Washington launched him.
Whereas he didn’t punctuate issues with a terrific season, McGee steps away with a really sturdy physique of labor. He pitched for six completely different golf equipment over a 13-year MLB profession, posting a cumulative 3.71 ERA by 572 1/3 innings. He struck out 613 of the 2359 batters he confronted, a robust 26% clip. McGee completed 182 contests and picked up 79 saves whereas holding 141 extra leads and was credited with 32 wins. He had 5 separate seasons with a sub-3.00 ERA and 4 years by which he fanned upwards of 30% of opponents. In response to Baseball Reference, he collected greater than $37MM in earnings alongside the best way.
MLBTR congratulates McGee on a wonderful run and desires him the perfect in his post-playing days.
Picture courtesy of USA Right now Sports activities.
