Trevor Hoffman Announces His Retirement

“I’m rolling thunder, pouring rain, I’m comin’ on like a hurricane.
My lightning’s flashing across the sky. You’re only young but you’re gonna die.”  

For 16 years, all time saves leader Trevor Hoffman emerged from the bullpen gate in center field and trotted out to the mound to the sound of “Hells Bells” blaring throughout the stadium to the delight of thousands of cheering fans.

Today, the 43-year-old right-hander has announced his retirement and has decided to take a front office job with the Padres where he forged the plaque that will hang in Cooperstown five years from now.

It’s time to retire. It’s time to move on. This is more of a self-evaluation. I expect to pitch at a certain level and I had to be honest with myself that I wasn’t certain I could maintain that anymore.

Hoffman, a seven-time All-Star, ends his career as the all-time saves leader with 601 saves in 677 opportunities for an 89% save percentage. His career marks also include a 2.87 ERA and a 1.051 WHIP in 1,089 innings pitched. He struck out 1,133 batters giving him an impressive 9.4 strikeout rate. Hoffman finshed in the top five of Cy Young voting four times, and was runner-up twice.

Congratulations on a tremendous career…