The 14-year MLB veteran announced his retirement on Wednesday afternoon.
Fourteen-year MLB veteran Carl Pavano announced his retirement from professional baseball on Wednesday afternoon, according to the New York Post's Joel Sherman.
The 38-year-old had been hoping to make a comeback and was planning on throwing off a mound for MLB teams in February after rehabbing a ruptured spleen. But, according to Sherman's report, Pavano has decided to hang them up instead, putting an end to his major league career.
Pavano last pitched in the majors for the Twins in 2012, posting a 6.00 ERA in 11 starts. Originally drafted by the Red Sox in the 1994 draft, the right-hander played for five different MLB teams, including the Expos, Marlins, Yankees, Indians, and Twins. Pavano finished his career with a 108-107 record, a 4.39 ERA, and 1,091 strikeouts in 1,788.2 innings pitched.
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His best years came with the Marlins from 2002-2004. The Connecticut native compiled a career-best ERA in 2004 when he finished with a 3.00 ERA and 139 strikeouts in 222.1 innings. Pavano was named to the AL All-Star team that season, his only All-Star selection, and also came in sixth in the AL Cy Young voting.
That offseason Pavano memorably signed a four-year, $39.95 million contract with the Yankees in free agency, a deal that didn't work out well due to the bevy of injuries Pavano suffered over the next few seasons. He only ended up making 26 starts in pinstripes after missing the entire 2006 campaign and starting just nine games for the Yankees in the final two seasons of his contract.
Pavano would move onto Cleveland and ultimately Minnesota, where he pitched for four seasons. The right-hander had a resurgent campaign in 2010, posting a 3.75 ERA in 32 starts, and even pitched effectively in 2011, but was shut down in June last season with a sore right shoulder.