Howie Kendrick Retires After 15 MLB Seasons; Played for Angels, Nationals, More | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors

Robert Murray @ByRobertMurray

Howie Kendrick has announced that he is retiring from baseball.

The 37-year-old became a free agent this offseason after spending the last three full seasons with the Washington Nationals, where he won his only World Series in 2019.

Kendrick spent the bulk of his career with the Los Angeles Angels, who drafted him out of St. Johns River Community College in the 10th round of the 2002 draft. After nine seasons with the Angels, he went on to play with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies before heading to Washington. 

En route to that World Series victory, Kendrick was named the NLCS MVP, after his 10th-inning grand slam in the NLDS brought them to the series in the first place.

Then was the hero again in Game 7 of the Fall Classic when he belted a two-run home run that gave Washington a one-run lead in the seventh inning of the winner-take-all game against the Houston Astros. 

Such success seemed unlikely in the midst of his first complete season in Washington, when he tore his Achilles tendon in May 2018. He ended that campaign after just 40 games. 

Last season, Kendrick hit .275 with 14 RBI and two home runs in 25 games for Washington, as he was limited by injuries to his back and hamstring that ultimately shuttered his season on Sept. 9. He entered free agency after the team declined his $6.5 million option and paid him the $2.25 million owed to buy him out of his deal. 

Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post noted that Mike Rizzo and Dave Martinez were under the impression as recently as last week that Kendrick wanted to make a return in 2021. 

Kendrick was an All-Star in 2011 after slashing .285/.338/.464 with 30 doubles, 63 RBI and a career-high 18 home runs with the Angels. 

He ends his career with a .294 batting average, having collected 127 home runs and 354 doubles and knocked in 724 RBI.