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Dodgers World Series champion announces sudden retirement at 33
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- Dodgers World Series champion announces sudden retirement at 33
Matt Beaty announced his retirement from baseball at 33 years old.
The utility player was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 12th round of the 2015 MLB Draft. Beaty slashed .265/.317/.458 with nine home runs and 46 RBIs across 268 plate appearances during his rookie season with the Dodgers in 2019.
Matt Beaty broke onto the scene with the Dodgers during his rookie year in 2019. AP
He quickly emerged as a versatile player and a left-handed bat with LA, setting career highs in home runs, RBIs, slugging percentage and OPS. One of Beaty's most memorable moments as a Dodger came after only 58 career plate appearances when he hit a two-run walk-off home run against the Colorado Rockies on June 21, 2019.
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Though Beaty struggled throughout the 2020 season, he was a part of the Dodgers' World Series run during the shortened season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2022, the Dodgers traded Beaty to the San Diego Padres in exchange for River Ryan, who played a key role in LA's return package for Tarik Skubal this summer.
The Dodgers traded utility man Matt Beaty to the Padres in 2022. USA TODAY Sports
Matt Beaty announced his retirement from baseball at 33 years old. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Beaty last played a professional baseball game in September 2024 with the Arizona Diamondbacks ' Double-A affiliate. He's also spent time with the San Francisco Giants and Kansas City Royals .
Beaty has a .247 career batting average with 19 home runs and 96 RBIs across 290 regular season games.
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In an Instagram post, he shared the news of his retirement.
"I believe it's time to finally officially announce that I'm entering the next chapter of my life," Beaty wrote. "It's been almost two years since my last at-bat in baseball. The time since then has been filled with questions and back-and-forth. Should I keep playing? Is there another opportunity out there? Or is it finally time to close this chapter?
"In my experience, a decision like this isn't easy. You spend your entire life devoting time, effort and sacrifice to a game. You make choices and give up opportunities because baseball doesn't always allow you to experience life the way everyone else does. When something has been such a huge part of your life for so long, walking away is hard.
"Deep down, I think I knew my last game was my last game. I just held onto the hope that it wouldn't be."
