, who struggled last season with the New York Mets because of injuries, is retiring after 15 seasons in the majors.
Despite having another year remaining on his contract with the Mets, the outfielder announced his retirement Saturday on The Players’ Tribune website.
The 36-year-old Cuddyer, a two-time All-Star, was scheduled to earn $12.5 million next season, completing a two-year, $21 million deal. It is unclear whether the Mets bought out the remaining year.
Cuddyer hit .259 with 10 home runs and 41 RBIs in 379 at-bats for the Mets in 2015. He underwent surgery in Philadelphia after the World Series to repair a core muscle injury.
“I’ve made the decision to retire. With one year left on my contract, it is especially difficult to imagine not suiting up in a Mets uniform for one more year,” Cuddyer said in his Players’ Tribune letter. “As an athlete, retiring is the toughest decision you have to make and I don’t make it lightly. I’ve always run out every hit like it was my last. As an untested high school kid drafted with a dream, I’ve never taken a single moment in the Majors for granted. It goes against every grain in my body to consider a future without the game. But after 15 years, the toll on my body has finally caught up to me.”
Cuddyer injured his knee in July and lost his regular left field job due to the promotion of rookie Michael Conforto and the acquisition of Yoenis Cespedes. During New York’s run to the World Series, Cuddyer had 12 plate appearances but struck out seven times and had one hit.
In 1,536 regular-season games for Minnesota, Colorado and New York, Cuddyer had a .277 career batting average, 197 home runs and 794 RBIs. In 28 playoff games, he batted .306 with two home runs and eight RBIs.
—Baltimore Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette said the team withdrew its contract offer to free agent first baseman Chris Davis.
Duquette confirmed earlier reports that the Orioles took their multi-million dollar proposal to Davis off the table. That does not mean the team has given up on bringing him back.
“I’m not exactly sure where that’s going to end up,” Duquette said.
Davis had 47 home runs and 117 RBIs this year. The team made a run at him by offering the contract, but Davis did not respond.
The Orioles met this past week with Davis’ agent, Scott Boras, at the Winter Meetings in Nashville, Tenn., in an attempt to re-sign the slugger but their seven-year, $168-million was rejected. Davis reportedly is seeking an eight-year, $200-million deal.
—The Houston Astros acquired reliever Ken Giles from the Philadelphia Phillies as part of a seven-player trade.
Houston also got shortstop Jonathan Arauz in the deal. In exchange, the Phillies received former No. 1 overall draft pick Mark Appel and fellow pitchers Harold Arauz, Thomas Eshelman, Bret Oberholtzer and Vince Velasquez.
Giles, 25, took over as the Phillies closer after Jonathan Papelbon was traded to the Washington Nationals late in the season. Giles had a 1.80 ERA with 87 strikeouts in 70 innings this year. He could end up being the set-up man to Luke Gregerson, who had 31 saves.