Longtime Mets SS Jose Reyes Announces Retirement After 16-Year Career

Reyes tells Mets fans in a statement, "I can’t imagine playing in front of any better fans in the whole world."

Jose Reyes, who spent 12 of his 16 seasons playing for the New York Mets, officially announced his retirement from baseball on Wednesday via Twitter.

pic.twitter.com/1OexBe8jzd

— Jose Reyes (@lamelaza_7) July 29, 2020

“As a young boy growing up in the Dominican Republic, I could have never dreamed of achieving all that I have through this incredible game," Reyes said in a statement. "I want to thank God for all my blessings.”

Reyes debuted for the Mets in 2003 at the age of 20, and spent the next nine seasons developing into one of the game's best shortstops. He led the National League in stolen bases for three consecutive years from 2005–07, and made four All-Star teams from 2006–11.

He led the Majors in triples four times, and won the NL batting title in 2011

From 2012–15, Reyes had stints with the Miami Marlins, Toronto Blue Jays and Colorado Rockies, before returning to the Mets in 2016.

“Mets fans, what can I say? We never got the ring we hoped we would get, but I can’t imagine playing in front of any better fans in the whole world," Reyes said. "Your passion and energy always lifted me higher and for that I will always be grateful. I want to thank the fans in Miami and Toronto too, as well as my fans around the world.”

Reyes received MVP votes in five seasons while playing with the Mets. He retires as one of two Dominican-born players to have at least 2,000 hits and 500 stolen bases, the other being Cesar Cedeño.