SEATTLE — Free agent Kyle Seager is retiring from Major League Baseball after 11 seasons with the Mariners.
Seager’s wife Julie Seager announced his retirement Wednesday in a tweet.
“Thank you to all of my family, friends and fans for following me throughout my career,” the third baseman said in a statement. “It’s been a wonderful ride but I am unbelievably excited for the next chapter of my life.”
The Mariners announced in November that the team would not pick up the option on Seager, which was long expected. His club option was worth $20 million. Instead, Seattle gave Seager a $2 million buyout.
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Seager, who played college ball at North Carolina, was drafted by the Mariners in 2009 as a Round 3 pick. He split his first few seasons between the minors and the Mariners.
In his MLB career, Seager averaged .251 with 242 home runs and 807 RBIs. He was named the Mariners MVP in 2012 and 2013 as well as a MiLB.com Organization All-Star in 2010.