Former Dodgers Infielder Retires

Sep 2, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Hanser Alberto (17) warms up prior to the game against the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Retirement has been a recent theme for players with ties to the Los Angeles Dodgers, ranging from immediate decisions to looking further down the line.

Clayton Kershaw started the streak late last year when he revealed the 2025 season was going to be the last of his career. Though, that's since come with news of Kershaw still planning to pitch this year as he joined the Team USA roster for the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

Then in December, Joe Kelly shared he was hanging up his cleats spending parts of 13 seasons at the Major League level. Though, Kelly was adamant not to use the word retiring, which he believes should be reserved for people in the workforce and military.

As the calendar was days away from turning to 2026, Andrew Heaney announced his playing career also was coming to an end with the 2025 season.

More recently, Mookie Betts shared with former WWE wrestler John Cena that he intends to retire once his Dodgers contract ends with the 2032 season. Betts at that point will be 40 years old and plans to be fully present in the lives of his children.

Now it's Hanser Alberto who has officially retired from Major League Baseball.

Hanser Alberto announces retirement

"From Luis Reynoso little League to MLB, thank you baseball. You gave me everything, you shaped me into an excellent human being, and you helped me be a blessing to others... 18 years later, filled with gratitude and many beautiful memories, I take off my uniform, hang up my glove and cleats, and say goodbye...," Alberto wrote in the caption of an Instagram post that revealed his decision to reitre.

"Thanks to God above all, to my family who are the best, to every organization I was with, to the coaches who helped me, to my friends who were always there for me, to the press who were always kind and courteous to me, and to all those wonderful fans who always enjoyed the best of me on the field. El Potro is out"

Alberto signed with the Texas Rangers as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic in 2009 and went on to make his MLB debut six years later.

Alberto played for the Rangers from 2015-2018, but missed the 2017 season due to shoulder surgery. He then joined the Baltimore Orioles from 2019-2020, and was with the Kansas City Royals for the 2021 season.

That was followed by the Dodgers signing Alberto to a one-year contract with a team option for 2023. His offensive production off the bench remained relatively minimal, but Alberto provided versatility and was lauded for his positive energy in the clubhouse.

Alberto memorably made a career-high 10 pitching appearances in his lone season with the Dodgers. Up to that point he'd pitch just once in both 2019 and 2021, and only went on to make two more pitching appearances in 2023.

The Dodgers declined their team option on Alberto and he went on to sign a Minor League contract with the White Sox in January 2023. Chicago added him to their Opening Day roster but he only appeared in 30 games for the club before getting designated for assignment and subsequently released in June of that year.

That wound up being the last of Alberto's time in the Majors. He played for the Gigantes del Cibao of the Dominican Winter League in 2024, appeared in a total of 26 games for two teams in the Mexican League last year, and was back with the Gigantes into this month.