Hunter Pence retires

On Saturday morning, Hunter Pence announced his retirement from baseball.

The outfielder had a 14-year MLB career, and spent parts of eight seasons with the San Francisco Giants. He signed with the Giants over the offseason for a second stint, but was designated for assignment in August. He didn’t catch on with another team, and on Saturday made the news official on his social media accounts.

Pence made the announcement in a touching video, in which he stated he’s looking forward to getting to be a Giants fan. Here’s his full statement:

I love to play baseball. And I cherished every day, every teammate, every victory, and every defeat, along with the lessons that came with them. Nothing can really prepare you for this part of your career, when you have to say, “I am retiring from baseball.” I’ve given it everything I possibly can, and the game has given back to me tenfold.

Thank you to all of my teammates, all the coaches and staff, and all the people behind the scenes. It took everything, and everyone, to help me be the player I was; there’s no way I could have done it without that support. To the fans: thank you for your unwavering passion and support, no matter where I was. The love that you have shown me every step of the way has left a lasting mark on me; boy, did we celebrate those highs. Your love will always hold a special place in my heart. To my wife Alexis, and my family, I sincerely thank you for being there and supporting me. All the ups and downs, all the moving, all of the packing, and putting up with all of the challenges supporting this amazing but wild journey.

I’m looking forward to being a Giants fan now. After every Giants win we’re lucky enough to hear “I Left My Heart in San Francisco;” know that my heart will always be in San Francisco.

Be safe, be healthy. Only love. Thank you.

Well, that will make you cry.

Pence retires having played 1,707 regular season games, and 43 postseason ones. He finishes with 1,791 hits, 244 home runs, and 942 runs batted in. He was a four-time All-Star, and won two championships with the Giants.

He will forever be one of the most loved players in Giants history.

Enjoy retirement, Hunter. Can’t wait to see you at the ballpark.