LA Dodgers World Series champion announces abrupt retirement at just 33

Former Los Angeles Dodgers star and World Series champion Matt Beaty has announced his retirement from baseball at the age of 33.

Beaty was a 12th round selection by the Dodgers in the 2015 MLB Draft and made his debut with the team in 2019.

Across his MLB career, Beaty played for the Dodgers, the San Diego Padres, the San Francisco Giants and the Kansas City Royals. As a member of the Dodgers, he won the 2020 World Series.

Beaty's retirement announcement came nearly three years after his last MLB appearance, when he suited up for the Royals on September 6, 2023.

He last played professional baseball in 2024, suiting up for the Reno Aces and the Amarillo Sod Poodles - the Arizona Diamondbacks' minor-league affiliates at the Triple-A and Double-A levels, respectively.

'I believe it's time to finally officially announce that I'm entering the next chapter of my life,' Beaty said in a lengthy statement on Instagram.

'It's been almost two years since my last at-bat in baseball. The time since then has been filled with questions and back-and-forth.'

He added, 'Deep down, I think I knew my last game was my last game. I just held onto the hope that it wouldn't be.'

Beaty thanked each of the fanbases he played for, saying to Dodgers fans, 'thank you for embracing me.'

He then jokingly apologized to Padres fans, saying, 'Sorry I never gave you the best version of me.' Beaty also told Giants and Royals fans, 'Our time was way too short, but I'm grateful for every minute.'

In his statement, Beaty revealed that he's 'had the opportunity to coach with the Kansas City Royals at their complex with their rookie ball team.'

'Sharing my experiences and being someone these young players can talk to has reminded me how much this game has given me,' Beaty added. 

Across 675 plate appearances in 290 career major league games, Beaty slashed .247/.323/.394 and logged 18 home runs and 96 RBI.