Elephant Rumblings: Josh Reddick retires

Mar 20, 2023 - 2:00 PM

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Happy Monday, Athletics Nation!

And happy trails, Spidey.

Former A’s fan favorite Josh Reddick announced his retirement yesterday. After 13 MLB seasons and a brief stint with the Australian Baseball League’s Perth Heat, Reddick tweeted on Sunday that he is ready to “walk away from the game of baseball.”

It seems like eons ago, but Reddick was an important part of the A’s core during the team’s 2012-14 contending seasons. Josh came to the A’s in 2012 after three seasons with the Red Sox and established himself as an everyday player. He won a Gold Glove playing right field and hit 32 home runs in his first season with the A’s.

After a down year at the plate in 2013, Reddick adjusted and became a better contact hitter. He never came close to matching his 2012 home run production, but Reddick was consistently above average on offense from 2014 until he was traded to the Dodgers in 2016, bound for five consecutive League Championship Series appearances.

Reddick signed a four-year, $52 million deal with Houston before the 2017 season, received a World Series ring, and drew the ire of some A’s and Dodgers fans alike in the wake of the Astros cheating scandal. Reddick played well in 2017, equalling his 2012 career-best fWAR of 3.7. After that, his on-field performance steadily declined each season.

Reddick had warm words for A’s fans in his farewell tweet:

“I will never forget 2012, Game 162. It was one of my favorite memories of my career. Oakland became a home for me so fast. You fans made it so easy to be myself in a place so far from home and I believe that made me a better player! To me RF crew: Love y’all!”

Some A’s fans feelings about Reddick may have become a bit complicated over the years, but he definitely contributed more to the A’s as a player than any other team. He had a good run in Oakland, I enjoyed watching him play alongside teammates like Coco Crisp, and today, Athletics Nation thanks Josh Reddick for his service.

A’s Coverage:

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• Kawahara: Can Nick Allen hit his way into becoming the A’s everyday shortstop?
• Wirth: A’s fan favorite Reddick announces retirement after 13 seasons

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