Right-hander Beckett announces plans to retire
Nursing hip injury, veteran ends 14-year career that includes Series MVP, no-hitter
ST. LOUIS -- Dodgers pitcher Josh Beckett, who threw a no-hitter in May but was on the disabled list for most of the last three months of the season, announced his retirement after the team was eliminated from the National League Division Series in a 3-2 loss in Game 4 on Tuesday night.
Beckett's season ended with torn labrum in his left hip. He said he will undergo surgery in May. Although many pitchers return from the arthroscopic operation and the resulting three-month rehab, Beckett said that's not in his plans.
| Date | Matchup | Highlights | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gm 1 | Oct. 3 | STL 10, LAD 9 |  |
|
| Gm 2 | Oct. 4 | LAD 3, STL 2 | |
|
| Gm 3 | Oct. 6 | STL 3, LAD 1 | |
|
| Gm 4 | Oct. 7 | STL 3, LAD 2 | |
"I just don't see me going through that rehab and coming back to pitch at this point in my life," he said.
Beckett, 34, went 6-6 with a 2.88 ERA in what was looking like a comeback-of-the-year season after he missed most of 2013 with surgery to alleviate thoracic outlet syndrome by removing a rib near his neck.
On May 25, he no-hit the Phillies on the road and became the ninth pitcher of all-time to throw a no-hitter and be the MVP of the World Series. He ends his 14-year career with a 138-106 record and 3.88 ERA, having won the World Series with the Marlins in 2003 and Red Sox in 2007.
He came to the Dodgers from Boston in the 2012 blockbuster trade with Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford and Nick Punto for James Loney and four Minor Leaguers.
Beckett would have been a free agent in the winter, so his departure frees up $15.75 million in payroll.
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