Sergio Romo Alex Pavlovic (NBC Sports Bay Area), Twitter
FeaturedMLBBy Jessica Kleinschmidt on

SAN FRANCISCO — Sergio Romo was walking around the inner Oracle Park foul territory, offering up hugs to whoever was in his way. He wiped tears from his eyes as he posed for pictures and continued his rounds.

It was a typical, chilly night in San Francisco and Romo was home.

The stage was set for the 40-year-old who would pitch in the final game of his career on Monday night.

The Giants were hosting the Oakland A’s for one of the seasonal Bay Bridge Series games. Romo had spent a season across the bridge in Oakland, so the night didn’t escape manager Mark Kotsay.

“I couldn’t be happier that I’m here for this,” Kotsay said prior to the game. “He deserves every minute of it. He’s given his life to baseball, to that Giants organization. I’m sure [former Giants manager] Bruce Bochy would say the same thing. You love to see an organization take the time and so what’s right with Sergio, and bringing it back here and give us one last, kind of ‘Hurrah.'”

It was the top of the seventh inning when “El Mechón” played over the speakers. It’s been Romo’s warmup song since the beginning. In front of a crowd of 30,524, he took a few breaths and pitched.

It didn’t take long for Romo to find himself amid a pitch clock violation, but the orange and black didn’t mind.

The at-bats didn’t go well, so Romo’s former teammate Hunter Pence walked out to the mound to let him know his time had come to an end. The fans cheered, and the dugout embraced him.

Romo signed a minor-league deal with the Giants this offseason. It was more of a sentimental transaction than anything. But he was thankful.

“Still am trying to wrap my head around how people can genuinely feel that I deserve something like this,” Romo said earlier this month after the signing.

Romo will retire with 137 recorded saves and second among active players with 821 games played.

He had returned to the team where he earned those three World Series rings and became an instant fan favorite.

And personally, mine too.

[Photo Credit: NBC Sports Bay Area]

About Jessica Kleinschmidt

Jess is a baseball fan with Reno, Nev. roots residing in the Bay Area. She is the host of "Short and to the Point" and is also a broadcaster with the Oakland A's Radio Network. She previously worked for MLB.com and NBC Sports Bay Area.

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