Outfielder Charlie Blackmon retiring after spending 14 seasons with Rockies

4-time All-Star Charlie Blackmon will retire on the finish of the season after spending his complete major-league profession with the Colorado Rockies.

The outfielder recognized for his bushy beard introduced his resolution Monday. The Rockies will have fun Blackmon all through their remaining homestand this week and maintain a tribute for him earlier than the season finale Sunday towards the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Blackmon spent 14 seasons with the workforce and is the franchise’s all-time chief in triples (67). He is additionally second in video games performed (1,618), runs scored (991), hits (1,797), doubles (333), extra-base hits (626) and complete bases (2,942). Blackmon gained an NL batting title in 2017 with a .331 common.

In a publish on Instagram, Blackmon wrote: “As a child you play the sport since you like it, like nothing else issues. I nonetheless play the sport that means, however I do not really feel like a child anymore. My perspective has modified. I’ve been blessed to name town of Denver and the Colorado Rockies my baseball residence for the whole thing of my profession. I’m grateful for the assist of this group, my teammates, and most of all Rockies followers. It’s with a grateful coronary heart and a profession’s price of reminiscences that I select a brand new path.”

Blackmon was taken by the Rockies within the second spherical of the 2008 first-year participant draft out of Georgia Tech. He made his main league debut on June 7, 2011, towards San Diego.

The 38-year-old Blackmon has a .292 common with 226 homers and 148 stolen bases heading into his remaining few video games. He additionally was a two-time Silver Slugger.

“When Charlie informed me of his plans to retire I bought a little bit emotional, as I am certain many followers will after they see the information that one of many biggest Rockies of all-time will not take the sector,” Rockies proprietor Dick Monfort mentioned in a press release. “Charlie’s ardour and dedication to the sport of baseball, this group and our nice followers was on show each single day and I am unable to thank him sufficient for pouring his coronary heart into each sport and each at-bat over the course of his 14 years right here. Charlie is a Rockie to his core.”

Blackmon closed his Instagram publish by writing: “I am going to jump over that fence, pickle the beast and embrace the subsequent section of my life.”

Reporting by The Related Press.

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