Boston Red Sox: David Ortiz’s Return Supported by History
By Keaton Moore
Andy Pettitte
Since debuting with the New York Yankees in 1995, Andy Pettitte pitched 18 seasons with unrewarded success. While he bragged three All-Star appearances, Pettitte left the game without any major regular season awards. He reached the top five for the Cy Young Award four times, including finishing second behind Pat Hentgen in 1996. His name also appeared in the AL MVP voting in 1996 and 2005, but he never finished higher than 14th.
Regardless, the five-time World Series champion and 2001 ALCS MVP threw a pair of 21-win seasons in his career. Prior to his first stint of retirement, Pettitte averaged 15 wins per season with a 3.88 ERA.
His career would have ended in 2010, where Pettitte was an All-Star and went 11-3, if he followed through with his initial plans to retire. After a year of watching the Yankees from the stands, Pettitte realized he had some gas left in the tank.
Aware of his desired comeback, the Yankees signed their former starting pitcher to a one-year minor league contract in 2012. After a four-start stretch in the minors, the Yankees recalled Pettitte to the majors in mid-May. After losing his first start, he recovered to a 5-4 record and 2.87 ERA. His success prompted the Yankees to resign Pettitte for his final year in the major leagues. He finished his career by going 11-11 with a 3.78 ERA in 2013.
Two years following his official retirement announcement, the Yankees honored Pettitte by retiring his number on August 23, 2015. His number, No. 46, joins legends Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, along with teammates Jorge Posada and Mariano Rivera in Yankee fame.