Dontrelle Willis retires after nine MLB seasons

Pitcher Dontrelle Willis has decided to retire. Willis has not pitched in the majors since 2011 and had signed a minor league deal with the Brewers.

Pitcher Dontrelle Willis has decided to retire, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Willis has not pitched in a major league game since September of 2011. The 33-year-old signed a minor league contract with the Milwaukee Brewers in January in a bid for a comeback attempt. 

According to the Journal Sentinel, Willis was scheduled to pitch in his first game of the spring last week but was scratched because of neck stiffness. 

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Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said Willis still wants to compete, but "knows physically that he's having a tough time getting out there."

Willis began his career with the Florida Marlins, winning the NL Rookie of the Year Award in 2003 after going 14–6 with a 3.30 ERA. He also won a World Series with the Marlins that season. 

The pitcher spent five years in Florida before being traded to the Detroit Tigers. Injuries limited Willis to 22 starts in three years before he was designated for assignment. 

Willis then pitched for the Arizona Diamondbacks and Cincinnati Reds. After his last major league appearance, he signed minor league deals with several teams but never made it back to MLB.

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Willis' best season came in 2005, when he went 22–10 with a 2.63 ERA and finished second in the year's Cy Young Award voting. He finishes his career with a 72–69 record, 4.17 ERA and 1.433 WHIP.

- Molly Geary