Dodgers: Former LA Reliever Announces His Retirement

One time Dodgers reliever Tony Watson officially announced his retirement from baseball.

After 11 seasons in major league baseball one-time All-Star reliever Tony Watson is officially retiring from professional baseball. The Athletic's Stephen J. Nesbitt was the first to report the news.

Watson was a member of the 2017 Dodgers team that famously lost the World Series to the sign-stealing Houston Astros. 

In his official statement, Watson thanked all four teams he pitched for, including the Dodgers.

"Thank you to the Pirates, Dodgers, Giants, and Angels organizations and their fans for the support and opportunity to live out a childhood dream. Thank you to my wife and kids for being with me every step of the way and to my family and friends for always being there and supporting me through it all."

The Dodgers acquired Watson from the Pittsburgh Pirates at the 2017 deadline in exchange for Angel German and Oneil Cruz. 

In 24 regular season games with the Dodgers, Watson logged a 2.70 ERA and a 156 ERA+ in 20 innings pitched. The Iowa native was a key cog in the Dodgers 2017 postseason bullpen. He pitched in 11 games and recorded a 2.57 ERA. Watson also limited opposing hitters to a .459 OPS. 

Watson also had the distinction of being baseball's all-time leader in holds. It's not an official statistic, but it speaks to the lefty's prowess as a high-leverage reliever. 

The 36-year-old finishes his career with 689 appearances, 648.1 innings pitched, and a very respectable 2.90 ERA. 

He wasn't exactly on the cover of MLB The Show, but Watson was one of the best at his position during his era.