Former Oakland A’s outfielder Josh Reddick calling it a career

The time has come for former Oakland A’s outfielder Josh Reddick.

Saying that he was “excited, frustrated, [and] upset” because he “feel(s) like he has plenty more to give to this game,” Reddick announced that he will retire once the 2022-23 Australian Baseball League season concludes. He had previously stated that he would play for the Perth Heat, but now that will mark the end of his career.

Looking back at former Oakland A’s outfielder Josh Reddick’s career

Reddick had been a former top prospect for the Red Sox, appearing on the Baseball Prospectus top 100 list afhead of the 2009 and 2010 seasons. However, they did not have room for him to earn a starting role, leading to a trade with the A’s where he was part of the package for Andrew Bailey.

Reddick’s career took off in Oakland. He earned MVP votes and won a Gold Glove in his first season in Oakland 2012, posting a 112 OPS+ while belting 32 homers and 29 doubles while stealing 11 bases. It appeared as though the A’s had a future star in the making.

While Reddick never reached that level again, he did have a solid career. He posted a .262/.321/.426 batting line in his 4879 career plate appearances, hitting 146 homers and 219 doubles while winning a World Series ring in 2017. He was a fan favorite almost everywhere he played, someone that was able to connect instantly with the fans and become a part of the community.

However, it is fair to wonder if Reddick is right that he still has plenty left in the tank. He had not posted an OPS+ of 100 or better since 2017. His time in the majors ended in 2021 when he was released by the Diamondbacks after posting a 76 OPS+ with just two homers and 11 doubles in his 158 plate appearances. While he spent three weeks in the Mets’ system in August last year, he was unable to attract any major league offers and spent 2022 in Mexico.

And now, the end is in sight. Reddick has a few months left in his baseball oddysey as a player, his time ending down in Australia. Hopefully he will be able to go out on a high note, guiding Perth to a title and showing that he really does have something left.

Former Oakland A’s outfielder Josh Reddick is set to retire although he feels he has something left. Maybe he will prove to be correct in his swansong.