MLB Community, which launched on Jan. 1, 2009, is celebrating its fifteenth anniversary in 2024. Via Friday, MLB Community will depend down the highest 15 moments it has lined in its historical past, through weeknight segments on MLB Tonight (6 p.m. ET), in addition to throughout its social platforms. And don’t overlook to catch MLB Community’s fifteenth Anniversary retrospective present — “MLB Community Legendary Moments” offered by Budweiser, with Greg Amsinger, Sean Casey and Harold Reynolds — scheduled for 7 p.m. ET on Monday, Jan. 22.
The No. 4 second on the countdown: After 20 seasons, greater than 3,000 hits and 5 World Sequence championships, Derek Jeter says goodbye with a walk-off hit in his ultimate sport at Yankee Stadium.
Jeter’s clutch knock was the kind of unforgettable ending that each one gamers hope to have on the conclusion of their careers. However such moments are uncommon.
We have been lucky to witness one other indelible ending in 2023 as Miguel Cabrera performed his ultimate sport after 21 years within the huge leagues. Match with touching tributes and a turn-back-the-clock play at first base, Cabrera’s coda was particular and emotional. Though supervisor Jimmy Duggan from “A League of Their Personal” would disagree, there most undoubtedly is crying in baseball when it is time to stroll away. And the game is richer for it.
With Miggy’s day nonetheless contemporary in our minds, here’s a listing of one of the best farewell moments from star gamers in baseball historical past.
Miguel Cabrera, Tigers, 2023Cabrera’s final sport was a household affair. One of the vital productive hitters of all time was launched by his three kids as he stepped as much as the plate for his first at-bat and was later joined by his household as he strode off the Comerica Park grass for the ultimate time through the prime of the eighth.
Getting into that inning, Cabrera knew he was going to play first base, a place the place he performed greater than 1,100 video games with Detroit however hadn’t performed since 2021 as a consequence of accidents. It was set to be a particular second, however Cabrera did not know simply how particular. His Tigers teammates stunned him by letting the previous Triple Crown winner run out of the dugout by himself and obtain one more large ovation from the followers he entertained for 16 years. Then the primary batter of the inning, the Guardians’ Steven Kwan, pulled a floor ball to first. After all. Cabrera, filled with exuberance and nil rust, backhanded the grounder with ease and raced to the bag to report the out. With that, Cabrera walked off the diamond for the final time.
Albert Pujols and Yadier Molina, Cardinals, 2022It’s laborious sufficient to say goodbye to at least one franchise legend; Cardinals followers saluted three at one time in a regular-season dwelling finale. Pujols and Molina had already introduced their intentions to retire, and it was unknown whether or not Adam Wainwright would be a part of them after the season. So, as supervisor Oliver Marmol took the ball from the right-handed starter within the fifth inning, the trio walked off the Busch Stadium mound.
It wasn’t an excessively joyous scene as Wainwright, who would return in 2023, had simply allowed six runs in 4 2/3 innings. The unique plan was to have the three gamers exit in the beginning of the sixth, however to nonetheless have them exit collectively was excellent. In Pujols and Molina, St. Louis bid farewell to 2 stalwarts who mixed for 19 All-Star appearances and greater than 4,000 video games with the Playing cards.
Félix Hernández, Mariners, 2019It’s form of superb that Hernández was in a position to put collectively a reasonably first rate begin throughout his ultimate look in Seattle — three runs allowed over 5 1/3 innings — contemplating how his feelings have been on the floor all evening lengthy. Effectively earlier than the sport began, King Félix was wiping his eyes as he walked out for his warmup session within the bullpen. He let all of it go when he was taken out of the sport within the sixth inning, tears streaming down his face as he pointed towards the King’s Court docket part down the left-field line. After the sport, Hernández joined his adoring followers and unfold his arms large over his baseball kingdom.
Hernández signed Minor League offers with the Braves and Orioles in 2020 and ’21, respectively. However he wore just one uniform in a Main League sport. His 418 begins are essentially the most by a Mariners pitcher.
Ichiro Suzuki, Mariners, 2019The begin of Hernández’s ultimate season featured the departure of one other Mariners icon. Ichiro spent nearly all of 2018 in Seattle’s entrance workplace, however he returned to the sector in March 2019 for a two-game collection in Japan, bringing his profession full circle. Ichiro was handled as nothing lower than a conquering hero throughout his homecoming on the Tokyo Dome. He did not add to his profession complete of 4,367 hits cut up between MLB and Nippon Skilled Baseball, however that did little to quell the cheers and tears from his nation of supporters.
Ichiro was the one participant on the diamond when he exited the second sport within the eighth inning. Each groups needed to present him the highlight that he so deserved on this setting. He waved to the followers as he made his method into the dugout, however these followers remained of their seats half-hour after the ultimate out with the intention to get only one extra have a look at their famed countryman. Ichiro then emerged to a different roar from the sold-out crowd and took a lap across the area.
Joe Mauer, Twins, 2018Near the top of the 2018 season, Mauer mentioned he was nonetheless undecided about retirement. However Minnesota’s final sport of the 12 months supplied all of the clues that this might be the hometown child’s swan tune. Mauer was joined on the sector by his twin daughters earlier than the sport and garnered a standing ovation earlier than every plate look.
However the true spotlight got here within the prime of the ninth when Mauer placed on the shin guards, chest protector and masks one final time. The one catcher to win three batting titles, Mauer had not arrange behind the plate since taking a foul tip to the masks and struggling a concussion in 2013. However he needed to finish his profession the place it started. Mauer caught one pitch from Matt Belisle — a fastball off the surface nook — earlier than heading to the mound, hugging his teammate and strolling off to the Twins’ dugout whereas the theme from “The Pure” blared throughout Goal Subject.
David Ortiz, Crimson Sox, 2016Sometimes, you do not know when the top goes to return. Such was the case for Oritz, who was eliminated for a pinch-runner within the eighth inning of ALDS Recreation 3 between Boston and Cleveland. The Crimson Sox have been hoping to mount a rally to maintain their season alive, but it surely was to not be because the AL Central champions accomplished a sweep at Fenway.
Each season-ending loss within the postseason comes with dejection, however this loss additionally meant the top of the street for a participant who rallied his group and his metropolis in contrast to anybody in current reminiscence. Following the defeat, Ortiz returned to the sector, stood atop the Fenway mound and acknowledged the hundreds nonetheless in attendance whereas holding again tears.
Derek Jeter, Yankees, 2014″Effectively, the script is there. The final web page is in Derek’s arms.”
That is how Yankees play-by-play announcer Michael Kay set the stage for Jeter’s ultimate at-bat in Yankee Stadium. Tie sport. Backside of the ninth. Successful run on second base. It had all of the makings for a Hollywood ending within the Bronx. Unleashing his basic inside-out swing, Jeter lashed the primary pitch of the at-bat into proper area. His 3,463rd profession hit scored Antoan Richardson and gave one other victory to the participant who has been part of extra victories than every other Yankee.
After Jeter’s teammates mobbed him, the star shortstop walked over to the spot on the infield that he manned for twenty years. He went right into a crouch as he tried to soak within the second and acquire his feelings. It was an applicable capper to The Captain’s dwelling profession.
Mariano Rivera, Yankees, 2013There was not often ever a purpose for Rivera, the game’s biggest nearer, to get replaced through the center of an inning. However he was on Sept. 26, 2013, and it resulted in some superb theater. With two outs within the prime of the ninth and the Yankees trailing by 4 runs, New York determined to make one other name to the ‘pen. Nonetheless, this name got here from Jeter and Andy Pettitte, who went to the mound to usher their longtime teammate into retirement.
Rivera, who mentioned he was coping with a “bombardment of feelings,” smiled when he first noticed the duo. However as soon as Jeter informed him that it was “time to go,” the right-hander started sobbing as he fell into Pettitte’s embrace.
Though Ripken was penciled in because the AL’s beginning third baseman, he formally started the sport at shortstop — the place he revolutionized — after a bit persuasion from Alex Rodriguez. Then Ripken created Midsummer Traditional magic in his first plate look as he crushed a house run on the primary pitch he noticed.
Ripken was taken out of the sport earlier than the highest of the sixth and was promptly honored alongside Tony Gwynn. They’d be linked once more in 2007 after they have been the 2 members of that 12 months’s Corridor of Fame class.
George Brett, Royals, 1993Four days earlier than the Royals’ dwelling finale, Brett introduced that he would retire on the finish of the season. That turned what would have been a slightly meaningless contest between Cleveland and Kansas Metropolis right into a celebration of the best participant in Royals historical past. Brett’s teammates honored him by writing “5” on their socks, and the pregame ceremony featured a message from President Invoice Clinton.
After the sport — which noticed Brett hit a game-tying RBI single within the eighth inning en path to a Royals’ walk-off triumph — the 13-time All-Star hopped right into a golf cart and rode round Kaufmann Stadium as applause rained down upon him. On the finish of his trip, Brett ran over to dwelling plate, acquired down on his knees and kissed the dish.
Ted Williams, Crimson Sox, 1960Unlike each different entry on this listing, there wasn’t a ton of fanfare surrounding Williams’ final sport. There have been about 10,000 individuals inside Fenway Park to see him off, and Williams had a considerably frosty relationship with Crimson Sox followers and media by the top of his profession anyway. Nonetheless, the Splendid Splinter placed on a present, punctuated by a well-known ultimate at-bat that noticed him drill an extended dwelling run to right-center area. That was adopted by a four-minute delay as followers clamored for Williams to return out for a curtain name. He remained within the dugout.
The 1960 season was a misplaced one for Boston, however the 42-year-old Williams ended it with a .316 common and a 1.096 OPS in practically 400 plate appearances. Simply one more reason why he might have been the best hitter who ever lived.
Babe Ruth, Yankees, 1948Perhaps you do not know that Ruth’s enjoying profession resulted in 1935 with a Boston group that was not the Crimson Sox. By ’48, he was stricken with most cancers and not the larger-than-life man he grew to become with the Yankees throughout their Nineteen Twenties dynasty. Nonetheless, 14 years after enjoying his ultimate sport with the Bronx Bombers, Ruth returned to the home that he constructed and donned the pinstripes once more because the membership retired his No. 3 jersey.
Ruth was in a position to step into the batter’s field and take a couple of hacks for the photographers who captured yet one more look of the swing that made him an iconic American determine. Ruth handed away about two months after the ceremony.
Lou Gehrig, Yankees, 1939The final spot on this listing is saved for probably the most well-known speeches in sports activities historical past. On July 4, 1939 — “Lou Gehrig Appreciation Day” at Yankee Stadium — The Iron Horse approached the microphone by dwelling plate to deal with the greater than 40,000 individuals in attendance. Gehrig was identified with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis a couple of weeks previous to his speech. He knew his profession was over. He knew the illness would finally take his life. However with an unmatched combination of braveness and beauty, Gehrig paused to collect his feelings after which informed everybody why he was the luckiest man on the face of the Earth.
