All-Star closer Britton retires after 12 seasons

Zack Britton is hanging up his cleats.

The two-time All-Star closer with the Baltimore Orioles told The Athletic's Britt Ghiroli that he's retiring after 12 MLB seasons.

Britton, 35 , did not play in 2023, recuperating from arm issues following Tommy John surgery in 2021.

"My last outing was against the Orioles," Britton said of his final appearance in September of 2022 as a member of the New York Yankees. "I threw a ball to the backstop as my last pitch; I think about that and it sucks. It might not have been perfect from a career standpoint or going out on a high note, but you don’t always get to pick. My gut was telling me it was time to see what life was like on the other side."

A native of Panorama City, CA, Britton was originally taken in the third round of the 2006 MLB Amateur Draft by the Orioles with whom he would spend the first seven-plus seasons of his career before a midseason trade to the Yankees in 2018 with whom he played the remainder of his career.

He finishes his career with a 35-26 records in 442 appearances with an earned run average of 3.13 and WHIP of 1.264 over 641.0 innings pitched.

Posting 30-plus saves on three occasions, Britton ends his career with 154 career saves.

An All-Star in 2015 and 2016, Britton led the American League with saves in the latter season with 47.