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Former Mets Shortstop Jose Reyes Retires And Shouts Out Mets Fans: 'Your Passion And Energy Always Lifted Me Higher'

(CBSNewYork)- After 16 seasons in the major leagues, former New York Mets shortstop Jose Reyes has officially decided to hang up his cleats. The 37-year-old Reyes last played for the Mets in 2018 and did not play during the course of the 2019 season.

In his retirement announcement, released via Twitter, Reyes specifically praised Mets fans for their passion and energy, saying that it "always lifted me higher".

In 16 seasons, Reyes collected over 2,100 hits with a career .283 batting average. He was a four-time All-Star in his first run with the Mets from 2003-11. Perhaps his best season came in 2006 when he finished in the Top 10 of the MVP voting hitting .300 with 19 homers and 81 RBI while leading the league in stolen bases with 64.

He then signed as a free agent with the Florida Marlins in 2011 and was traded from the newly minted Miami Marlins to the Toronto Blue Jays in 2012. After two and a half seasons in Toronto, he made his way back to Queens to spend the final three years of his career with the Mets from 2016-2018.

His full retirement statement reads:

"After 16 great MLB seasons, I'm officially announcing my retirement from baseball.

As a young boy growing up in the Dominican Republic, I could never have dreamed of achieving all that I have through this incredible game. I want to thank God for all of my blessings.

No man can achieve success alone and with that in mind I have many that I would like to thank starting with my mom and dad. They've been there for me for all the ups and downs, the good and the bad and I will always consider myself blessed for their support and love.

I want to thank the New York Mets for giving me the opportunity to become a professional baseball player and for bringing me back at the end of my playing career. I want to also thank the Miami Marlins and Toronto Blue Jays organizations as well as all my teammates through the years.

Mets fans, what can I say? We never got the ring we hoped we would get, but I can't imagine playing in front of any better fans in the whole world. Your passion and energy always lifted me higher and for that I will always be grateful. I want to thank the fans in Miami and Toronto too, as well as all my fans around the world.

I'd like to acknowledge my agents, Peter and Ed Greenberg and my compadre Chris Leible for everything they have done for me over the past two decades. I also want to thank all of my friends, old and new, you know who you are.

Last, but most important, I want to thank my wife Katherine, as well as my beautiful daughters. Katherine, thank you for always standing beside me."

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