2017 NL All-Star and former SF Giants minor leaguer announces retirement after 10 MLB seasons

Jake Lamb has announced his retirement after 10 MLB seasons, per a social media post from his agency. The veteran infielder's most notable stint was with the Arizona Diamondbacks, but he finished his pro career as a minor leaguer in the SF Giants organization.

2017 NL All-Star and former SF Giants minor leaguer announces retirement after 10 MLB seasons

At the end of January, the Giants signed Lamb to a minor league deal with a camp invite. There was no obvious fit, as Lamb had moved primarily to first base in recent seasons. LaMonte Wade Jr. was entering the season as the incumbent at that position. Plus, Wilmer Flores and Jerar Encarnación were expected to see time at first base as well.

That said, the Giants did have a need for another left-handed bat in the infield. Lamb fit that description, but his profile overlapped with Wade Jr.

Nevertheless, the longtime division rival entered camp with an outside chance to earn a spot on the roster with a strong performance in the Cactus League. He put up respectable numbers, recording nine hits, including three doubles, in 33 at-bats.

That was not enough to make the team, and Lamb was reassigned to Triple-A. He appeared in 45 games for the Sacramento River Cats, posting a .706 OPS with two home runs and 20 RBI in 176 plate appearances before being released in early June. That cleared the way for Bryce Eldridge to be brought back up to Triple-A.

The Giants saw a lot of Lamb earlier in his career and he was a thorn in their side. This was especially true for Santiago Casilla, who struggled badly against Lamb. In eight career at-bats, the left-handed hitter tallied four home runs against Casilla. It felt like all of those came in one season.

Giants fans might remember him for another reason as well. This video has circulated around social media for years. It is the famous moment when Buster Posey threw the ball back to Jake Peavy, and it landed in Peavy's glove while he was not looking. Lamb was the hitter during that moment.

Lamb's best season came in 2017, when he posted an .844 OPS with 30 home runs and 105 RBI in 635 plate appearances while earning an NL All-Star nod. He also appeared with the A's, Chicago White Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, Los Angeles Dodgers, Seattle Mariners, and Los Angeles Angels. We at Around the Foghorn would like to wish Lamb the best in his retirement!