Former Rays Reliever Nick Anderson Announces Retirement at 35

A former Tampa Bay Rays pitcher has called it a career. 

On Sunday, ESPN's Jeff Passan reported that former Rays reliever Nick Anderson has retired at age 35. This comes as quite a surprise from the former Tampa Bay pitcher, as he was pitching well for a potential comeback in the minor leagues. 

Anderson's career started in the major leagues when he made his MLB debut with the Miami Marlins, but was traded to the Rays mid-season in 2019. 

While with Tampa Bay, Anderson was an MLB All-First Team selection in 2020 and played a big role in helping the club reach the World Series that year. Across 19 games with the team, Anderson recorded an incredible 0.55 ERA. 

He struggled during the postseason, including his three appearances in the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Anderson stayed with the Rays through 2022 before becoming a free agent and moving on to other organizations. 

He ended his Major League career after six seasons, with a 3.43 ERA and over 173 innings pitched. 

The move does come as a surprise, as the right-hander posted a 2.08 ERA with Triple-A Oklahoma City this season, posing a potential comeback to the major leagues. Instead, on Sunday, Anderson submitted his paperwork to end his big league career. 

According to Spotrac, Anderson recorded $4.8 million in career earnings over his five years of service time. 

He will always have a place in Rays history as someone who helped them get to the 2020 World Series.