Todd Frazier is ready to ride off into the sunset.
The Toms River, N.J. Little League World Series hero, who went on to star at Rutgers before embarking on an 11-year MLB career which saw him play with the New York Yankees and New York Mets, is calling it quits, telling the New York Post he is retiring.
“It’s been my love my whole life,” Frazier said Monday in a phone interview. “It’s very hard to let go. Don’t get me wrong, it’s one of the toughest decisions I’ve ever made in my life. But where I’m at in my career and where I’m at in my life, I think it was the right decision. I think it’s time to be that family figure that I’ve always wanted to be.”
As recently as January, the 36-year-old third baseman told MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM he was holding out hope he would get to play a 12th year in the big leagues.
“I still think I can still play in the major leagues ... I know they are getting a lot better and they’re getting stronger, pitchers and hitters, but I still think that as more of an older guy, I can bring a lot to a ballclub with wisdom and help the younger kids out. ... I can help these younger kids get better. I’m not saying I’m going to help them be the next Mike Trout. .. But an example, like if a guy did something wrong, let’s talk about it so we don’t do it again. That kind of stuff. Or why did you put in that instance, per se.”
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Frazier had a cup of coffee last season with the Pittsburgh Pirates, hitting .086 in 13 games. He then joined Team USA for the Tokyo Olympics, and came home with a silver medal.
When at his best, Frazier was one of the most feared sluggers in baseball. He hit 35 home runs in 2015 with the Cincinnati Reds, winning the Home Run Derby that year at Great American Ballpark. Frazier followed that up with a career-best 40 home runs in 2016 with the Chicago White Sox.
Frazier played for the Yankees in 2017 and the Mets from 2018 to 2020.
Frazier actually left the Mets after the 2019 season and signed as a free agent with the Texas Rangers, who traded him back to the Mets in August of 2020.
“When I got traded to the Yankees, I was like, ‘Holy cow, this is unbelievable.’ … The next year, getting picked up in free agency by the Mets. Every time I go to my batting cage, I look at those two jerseys and it’s really cool,” Frazier told the Post. “I know a bunch of people have done it, but being from Jersey, some of your friends hate you at the time, then they love you because you’re with the Mets. So it made for good banter. It was awesome. I wish I could have stopped time during those years.”
A two-time All-Star, Frazier finished with a career batting average of .241 to go along with 218 home runs in 1,244 games.
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Mike Rosenstein may be reached at mrosenstein@njadvancemedia.com.
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