A former utility player who won the World Series for the Los Angeles Dodgers is retiring at 33 years old.
Matt Beaty , who played both first baseman and in the outfield during his MLB career, is retiring at 33 years old. Beaty is best known for his tenure with the Dodgers from 2019 until 2021, where he won the World Series with Los Angeles during the 2020 season.
Beaty made the announcement through social media on Instagram earlier this week:
"I believe it's time to finally officially announce that I'm entering the next chapter of my life," wrote Beaty. "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."
Beaty won the World Series during the pandemic-shortened season in 2020 when he appeared in 13 games at first base for the Dodgers, two in left field and five as the designated hitter. He hit 220/.278/.360 in 50 at bats, with two homers and five RBIs, and also made brief appearances for Los Angeles during their 2020 NLCS series against the Atlanta Braves .
The five-year veteran made sure to specifically reference his time with the Dodgers. He was selected in the 12th round of the 2015 MLB Draft after spending his college career with the Belmont Bruins.
"And somehow, all of those moments led me to becoming a big leaguer for the Los Angeles Dodgers, a World Series Champion, and getting to play parts of five seasons in Major League Baseball," said Beaty. "Baseball gave me friendships I cherish, experiences, failures, successes, perspective and a mindset that will stay with me for the rest of my life."
Beaty also spent the 2019 and 2021 seasons with the Dodgers, before he was traded to the San Diego Padres for the 2022 season. Beaty also spent time with the San Francisco Giants and Kansas City Royals during the 2023 season.
Over the course of his MLB career, Beaty racked up statistical totals of 18 home runs, 96 RBI's and a batting stat line of .247/.323/.394 in 290 games and 675 plate appearances.
Tarik Skubal is starting to feel like himself again.
Skubal, who was acquired by the Dodgers at the trade deadline, showcased his trademark Cy Young stuff in a win over his former team, the Detroit Tigers . The 29-year-old pitcher helped the Dodgers snap a three-game losing streak by throwing six innings of one-run ball and striking out seven.
The performance took place in old ballpark in Detroit at Comerica Park.
"With the last name 'Skub,' you don't know if they are boos or if they're cheering for you," Skubal said. "So I'm gonna assume they were cheering for me. That's all I really got on that."
Dodgers teammate Freddie Freeman said he heard mostly cheers.
"He was talking to everybody," Freeman said. "I think he embraced it. He left everything he had for this organization, multiple Cy Youngs — he left it all for them. I think that's why he got so many cheers. I'm sure during the game they weren't too thrilled with all the strikeouts he was racking up, but it's hard to boo a man who gave you everything he had every five days."
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