Reports have circulated that New York Yankees southpaw pitcher Andy Pettitte may be gearing up to announce his retirement this afternoon.
have not confirmed 100 pct, but getting lot of buzz Andy Pettitte will announce his retirement this afternoon. Will keep u posted #Yankees
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) September 20, 2013
Pettitte, 41, previously retired from the MLB following the 2010 season and sat out all of 2011 before returning to the Yankees during the 2012 campaign, citing New York is where he wanted to finish his career. With the team's playoff hopes dwindling day-by-day, Pettitte's remaining two starts this season could be the final times he dons a Yankees uniform. Pettitte has filled a mid-rotation role for the Yankees this year and has posted a 10-10 record with a 3.93 ERA with a 1.394 WHIP and 117 strikeouts through 169 innings.
While his numbers don't blow people away like they used to, Pettitte still has been a pretty solid pitcher late in his career. Pettitte has a 2.02 ERA in 49 innings since mid-August. Pettitte is expected to pitch against the San Francisco Giants at home Sunday on 'Mariano Rivera Day' before going to Houston, the only other team he's played for, to possibly close out his career. Adding to the drama is that Pettitte is a Texas native, which means if his storybook career climaxes in Houston, it's a very fitting ending.
With Pettite and Rivera both retiring and Jorge Posada long gone, Derek Jeter will stand as the only remaining player of the Yankees Core Four. The Post reports that Pettitte said the realization of an era he helped build coming to an end mixed with his tiring body contributed to his decision.
Through an 18-year big league career, Pettitte is 255-152 with a 3.86 ERA with 2,437 strikeouts. Known as one of the most dynamic postseason pitchers, Pettitte is the winningest postseason pitcher of all time with a 19-11 lifetime record in the playoffs and a 3.81 ERA.
There may not be a postseason for New York (80-73) this year, as the team is 3.5 games behind the Texas Rangers and Tampa Bay Rays, who are tied atop the Wild Card with an identical 83-69 record after splitting a four-game set, and the Bombers are behind the Cleveland Indians, Baltimore Orioles and Kansas City Royals in their pursuit of catching a Wild Card berth.
Pettitte is a five-time World Series champion, three-time All-Star and is the all-time franchise leader for the Yankees in strikeouts and his 218 victories with the New York place him third all-time, behind just Whitey Ford (236) and Red Ruffing (231).
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