Former SF Giants, Dodgers pitcher announces retirement after 12 MLB seasons

Southpaw pitcher Alex Wood is officially hanging up his spikes for good. The former SF Giants pitcher announced his retirement in a heartfelt post on Instagram on Friday.

Former SF Giants, Dodgers pitcher announces retirement after 12 MLB seasons

The veteran pitcher appeared in 12 seasons, including three years with San Francisco. He finished out his career with the Oakland Athletics last season. Wood reflected on his long and successful career while thanking the coaches and fans who helped him along the way.

"Today, with immense gratitude, I am announcing my retirement from Major League Baseball.

For over half my life, every decision I’ve made has centered around how it would impact my baseball career. I’ve given every ounce of myself in pursuit of my lifelong dream of becoming a big leaguer. Playing 12 years in the show, reaching 7 postseasons, winning a World Series, and earning an All-Star selection — I never could’ve imagined it would turn out this way."

Alex Wood

Wood tagged all five teams he played for in his post, including the Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers, Cincinnati Reds, Giants and Athletics.

The veteran hurler earned an NL All-Star nod in 2017 and helped the Dodgers win the 2020 World Series in a pandemic-shortened season. He latched on with the Giants on a one-year deal for the 2021 season. At that point in his career, Wood had generally been effective when healthy, but he struggled to stay healthy. This included a stint on the injured list in 2020 for shoulder inflammation that limited him to just 12.2 innings during the regular season.

Wood had one of his best years in his first season with San Francisco. He pitched to a 3.83 ERA, 3.48 FIP, 1.18 WHIP, 9.9 K/9, and a 3.90 SO/W rate in 26 starts. The Giants won 107 games that year, and Wood's contributions went a long way.

The Giants re-signed Wood to a two-year, $25 million pact in that offseason. He struggled during that contract, recording a 4.77 ERA in 55 appearances. By the end of his Giants tenure, he was throwing out of the bullpen.

Wood registered a 77-68 record and 3.78 ERA during his career. Those are quality numbers. We at Around the Foghorn would like to congratulate Wood on his retirement and wish him the best in his future endeavors.

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