Veteran right-hander Zack Greinke concluded his twentieth major-league season on Sunday, and whilst he hasn’t but introduced his retirement it kind of feels like this could be the tip for the quirky 224-game winner. At the very least, it marks the tip of this time with the Kansas City Royals, and on Sunday the place of birth fanatics commemorated him with a heat ovation.
The 39-year-old Greinke made the beginning in opposition to the Yankees in KC’s ultimate game of the 2023 season, and he spun 5 efficient innings. He got here out for the 6th however after issuing a leadoff stroll to DJ LeMahieu, Greinke used to be lifted for reliever Taylor Clarke. That’s when the feting started:
Greinke is never one for presentations of emotion, however he did certainly crack a much-deserved smile after he reached the dugout.
After the game, Greinke used to be requested via newshounds whether or not he had decided about his long term, and he replied, “I don’t know yet.”
The Royals in the beginning drafted Greinke with the No. 6 total pick out again in 2002. After attaining the majors, Greinke spent the primary seven seasons of his big-league profession in a Royals uniform. He went directly to pitch for the Diamondbacks, Dodgers, Astros, Brewers, and Angels sooner than returning to the Royals previous to the 2022 season.
Much greater than “just” a compelling character, Greinke stands as one of the most best hurlers of his era. Across his 20 MLB seasons, he owns an ERA+ of 121 and a Okay/BB ratio of three.92. All that provides as much as profession WAR of 72.2, which must result in heavy Hall of Fame attention as soon as the time comes for such issues. Along the way in which, Greinke received a Cy Young, seven Gold Gloves, and 3 Silver Sluggers. He additionally earned seven All-Star choices and pitched in 8 other postseasons. Whether or no longer this marks the tip for Greinke, his has been a in reality nice profession.