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Minnesota Twins’ Torii Hunter retires after 19 seasons

By Tim Haberin

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Veteran outfielder Torii Hunter has announced that he will retire after 19 seasons in Major League Baseball. He revealed his plans in an interview with the Star Tribune.

Hunter brought his career full circle in 2015 by returning to the Minnesota Twins, the club that drafted him and for which he made his big league debut in 1997. He spent his first eleven seasons there before joining the Los Angeles Angels on a five-year deal prior to the 2008 campaign. A two-year stop with the Detroit Tigers came next, followed by his final season swan song in Minnesota.

The 40-year-old finishes with a .277/.331/.461 career slash line, 353 home runs (eleventh among active players), 1,391 RBI (eighth) and 195 stolen bases. He was named to five All-Star teams and won a staggering nine consecutive Gold Glove awards from 2001 to 2009.

At his peak, Hunter’s combination of hitting prowess and elite defensive skill made him one of the game’s most well-rounded players. He earned the nickname “Spider-Man” for his uncanny ability to scale outfield walls and he became a highlight reel fixture for his frequent leaping catches, like this one to rob Barry Bonds of a homer during the 2002 All-Star Game:

Hunter got off to a solid start this season, slashing .279/.330/.459 with seven home runs and 32 RBI through May. His production dipped sharply after that, however, as he hit just .221/.274/.384 for the rest of the year.

The Twins were buoyed by Hunter’s leadership and clubhouse presence, though, ending the year at an unexpected 83-79, only three games out of a Wild Card spot.

There were some indications throughout the season that Hunter might return for a 20th go-around in 2016. He went so far as to tell the Pioneer Press around the time of his birthday in July that there was an “80 percent chance” he would be back.

He told a different story today, however, explaining that he was fairly certain before the season started that it would be his last. He chose not to share those intentions publicly throughout the campaign.

Hunter sounds like a man at peace with his decision: “I’ve been married to the game 23 years. I put it almost No. 1 in my life. My family kind of second. I made sacrifices for my family. And now it is time to give them more time.”

After such a long and successful journey, he has certainly earned that right.

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