Miami Marlins reliever Steve Cishek quietly retires
It seemed likely that former Miami Marlins reliever Steve Cishek would find a job at some point this offseason. Relief pitching is in short supply, and with the arms coming off of the board, it was likely a matter of time.
Instead, Cishek appears to have had other plans. As pointed out by Daniel Alvarez-Montes of El ExtraBase, Cishek noted that he is a retired relief pitcher on social media.
Former Miami Marlins reliever Steve Cishek sails into sunset
Cishek was never an All Star. He was not the type of reliever that wowed fans by lighting up the radar gun. Instead, he used his deceptive sidearm delivery and low 90s sinker to generate soft contact and plenty of grounders as he served in virtually every possible role in the bullpen.
Despite his less than imposing arsenal, Cishek had plenty of success, even serving as a closer periodically. He notched 25 or more saves three times, with a career best 39 saves with the Marlins in 2014. Although he was never truly a closer after the 2016 season, he was still a valued arm in high leverage situations.
A lack of accolades does not change how successful Cishek’s career was. He posted a 2.98 ERA and a 1.200 WHiP over his 710.2 innings, striking out 743 batters with just 288 walks as he notched 133 saves. It is the type of performance that most major league players would be proud of and could see him on the Hall of Fame ballot in a few years once his waiting period is over.
It is fitting that Cishek has quietly chosen to retire. He had toiled in relative anonymity despite his success, likely due to the teams he pitched for. Now he will fade off into the sunset, enjoying his retirement without much fanfare.
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Former Miami Marlins reliever Steve Cishek quietly announced his retirement on social media. We wish him all the best in his journey ahead.