PHOENIX, AZ – APRIL 08: General view of action as starting pitcher Josh Collmenter #55 of the Arizona Diamondbacks pitches against the San Francisco Giants during the first inning of the MLB game at Chase Field on April 8, 2012 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Diamondbacks defeated the Giants 7-6. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Former MLB outfielder Gerardo Parra announced his retirement on Monday.
Parra, who returned to the Washington Nationals last year after winning a World Series in 2019, said he’s transitioning to a new role as a special assistant to general manager Mike Rizzo.
“After giving my everything for 16 years as a baseball player in the United States and Japan, it’s time to step aside to take on new professional and personal challenges, which is why I decided to retire from Major League Baseball,” Parra wrote in an Instagram post.
Parra played for six different MLB organizations across 12 seasons. The lefty spent his first six seasons with the Arizona Diamondbacks where he won two Gold Glove awards.
The Venezuela native recorded a .749 OPS in 89 games with the Nationals in 2019, becoming a fan favorite for using “Baby Shark” as his walk-up song.
The 35-year-old retires as a career .275/.322/.403 hitter who tallied 90 home runs and 97 stolen bases in 1,519 MLB games played. He also played for Japan’s Yomiuri Giants in 2020.
“It’s not an easy decision to make for any athlete,” Parra wrote, “but I am happy with what I’ve achieved in these 12 years in the Major Leagues, and even a great experience in the Nippon Professional Baseball.”
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