Former National League MVP Ryan Howard has announced his resignation. The former Philadelphia Phillies player announced his decision on the online portal The Players’ Tribune.
The 38-year-old has not played in the MLB since 2016 and has been a free agent since last November. Previously he had signed Minor League deals with the Atlanta Braves and later Colorado Rockies, but in the Big Leagues he was only active for Philadelphia.
In his open letter in the Players’ Tribune entitled “Thank you, Philly” he spoke of a “wild ride” on which he was All-Star three times and was voted MVP and Rookie of the Year once each. He also won the World Series with Philly in 2008.
In his career from 2004 to 2016, he beat .258 with 382 home runs and 1194 RBI. He even led the MLB in home runs twice (2006, 2008) and three more times in RBI (2006, 2008, 2009).
However, after he tore himself an Achilles tendon in 2011, he never became the old man again. Afterwards, over the last years of his career, he suffered numerous injuries to his knee, foot and again the Achilles tendon.
This article was published without previous view by the Major League Baseball.