Shane Victorino hasn’t played in a major league game since 2015, but the two-time World Series champion hadn’t officially announced his retirement from professional baseball. Until now.
Now 37, Victorino announced his retirement late Monday evening.
“I think it’s time to hang it up and call it a career,” Victorino told Rob DeMello of KHON 2 in Honolulu. “I’ve been blessed with the opportunity as a baseball player who grew up in Maui, getting an opportunity to represent my state, represent my people. So it’s about that time. It’s time for me to move on, it’s time for me to enjoy retirement. Officially, Aug. 3 will be the date, I’ll probably sign a one-day deal and call it a career.”
While the most notable moment of Victorino’s 12-year career may have been the Grand Slam that he hit as a member of the Boston Red Sox in Game 6 of the 2013 ALCS, he figures to sign his one-day ceremonial contract as a member of the Phillies.
Ed Wade’s front-office selected Victorino in the 2004 Rule-5 Draft from the Los Angeles Dodgers. In between his selection and the organization ultimately trading Victorino back to the Dodgers in July of 2012, The Flyin’ Hawaiian became one of the most beloved Phillies of all-time. In parts of eight seasons with the team, Victorino was selected to the All-Star Game twice (2009, 2011) and won three Gold Glove Awards in center field (2008, 2009, 2010). He also became one of the league’s better basestealers, swiping 151 bags between 2007 and 2011.
Stealing bases, of course, wasn’t the most important thing that Victorino did between 2007 and 2011. During that timespan, he became part of what many consider to be the greatest run in franchise history. Between 2007 and 2011, the Phillies won five consecutive National League East titles, appeared in the NLCS three times, won two National League pennants and the 2008 World Series title.
While it may only be the second most famous Grand Slam of his career, Victorino’s shot off of CC Sabathia and the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 2 of the 2008 NLDS is one of the most important hits in franchise history:
Victorino would win a second World Series title as a member of the Red Sox in 2013.
He becomes the second member of the 2008 World Series outfield to retire in the past week. Jayson Werth, the team’s right fielder, announced his retirement last week. The third member of that outfield, Pat Burrell, retired after the 2011 season. He was inducted onto the Phillies Wall of Fame in 2015. It’s unclear if Werth will ever receive that honor because of his complicated relationship with Phillies fans, but Victorino is as much of a lock for the Wall of Fame as you will find.
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