As we are nearing the 2023 Major League Baseball spring training, two Major League Baseball All-Stars announced their retirement this week. On Monday, side arm legend Darren O’Day of Jacksonville, Florida retired at the age of 40 according to TSN, and on Tuesday, centerfielder Dexter Fowler of Altanta, Georgia retired at the age of 36.
Darren O’Day
O’Day pitched 15 seasons of Major League Baseball. He was with the Los Angeles Angels (2008), New York Mets (2009), Texas Rangers (2009 to 2011), Baltimore Orioles (2012 to 2018), Atlanta Braves (2019, 2020, 2022), and the New York Yankees (2021). This past season with Atlanta, he pitched in 21 2/3 innings for the Braves and had a record of two wins and two losses with an earned run average of 4.15. In 28 games, O’Day gave up 19 hits, 10 earned runs, 10 walks, and three home runs, to go along with five holds, 26 strikeouts and a WHIP (walks and hits per innings pitched) of 1.34. O’Day’s wins came in a 5-2 Braves win over the San Diego Padres on April 15 and in a 6-3 Braves win over the St. Louis Cardinals on July 4. He missed the last 11 weeks of the season because of a strained left calf muscle and sprained right big toe.
In 644 games, O’Day had a record of 42 wins and 21 losses with 21 saves and an earned run average of 2.59. In 609 innings pitched, he gave up 458 hits, 175 earned runs, and 172 walks, to go along with 637 strikeouts and a WHIP of 1.03.
Dexter Fowler
Fowler played 14 seasons of Major League Baseball. He was with the Colorado Rockies (2008 to 2013), the Houston Astros (2014), Chicago Cubs (2015 and 2016), St. Louis Cardinals (2017 to 2020), and Los Angeles Angeles (2021). He signed a minor league contract with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2022, but did not play for Toronto.
In 1460 games, 5902 plate appearances, and 5040 at bats, Fowler scored 817 runs and had 1306 hits, 253 doubles, 82 triples, 127 home runs, 517 runs batted in, 149 stolen bases, 740 walks, 2104 total bases, 43 sacrifice bunts, 28 sacrifice flies, an on base percentage of .358, and a slugging percentage of .417. In 2010 while with the Rockies, Fowler led Major League Baseball with 14 triples.
All-Star Seasons
O’Day’s All-Star season came with the Orioles in 2015. That year he pitched in 68 games and had a record of six wins and two losses with six saves and an earned run average of 1.52. In 65 1/3 innings, O’Day gave up 47 hits, 11 earned runs, and 14 walks, to go along with 82 strikeouts and a WHIP of 0.93.
Fowler’s All-Star season came with the Cubs in 2016. That year he batted .276 with 13 home runs and 48 runs batted in. During 125 games, 551 plate appearances and 456 at bats, Fowler scored 84 runs and had 126 hits, 25 doubles. seven triples, 13 stolen bases, 79 walks, 204 total bases, one sacrifice bunt, four sacrifice flies, an on base percentage of .393 and a slugging percentage of .447.
World Series Champion
In 2016, Fowler was on the Cubs team that won their first World Series since 1908. Chicago beat Cleveland in seven games. In the 2016 playoffs, Fowler batted .250 with three home runs and six runs batted in.
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