Ex-Dodger Gagne retiring at 34

MONTREAL (SI.com) -- Former Dodgers closer Eric Gagne's career is apparently over.

Gagne, 34, told the Montreal website RueFrontenac.com on Monday that he has decided to retire.

Gagne, who won the 2003 Cy Young Award as the National League's top pitcher, told the website that he has lost his desire to play the game.

In a 10-year major league career that began in 1999, the bespectacled, hard-throwing right-hander went 33-26 with a 3.47 ERA and 187 saves. Most of that was with the Dodgers, including a three-year stretch from 2002 to 2004 in which he had a 1.79 ERA with 152 saves. Gagne won the NL Cy Young Award in 2003, posting a 1.20 ERA and leading the majors with 55 saves.

But that dominance -- which included a major league-record 84 consecutive saves -- ended after he underwent elbow surgery in 2005, followed by back surgery the next year. The next few seasons he bounced around, pitching for the Rangers, Red Sox and Brewers, who released him in 2008 after learning he had a frayed rotator cuff.

He spent the 2009 season in the independent Can-Am League. A comeback attempt with the Dodgers ended after he gave up six earned runs in 2 2/3 innings in spring training; he was released on March 22.