Red Sox’ Steve Pearce contemplating retirement
Pearce was the MVP of the 2018 World Series.
Steve Pearce, the Most Valuable Player of the World Series last fall, is giving strong consideration to retiring after 13 seasons in the majors.
“I’ve been thinking a lot about what to do,’’ Pearce said Saturday before the Red Sox played the Baltimore Orioles. “It could be time.’’
Pearce, who turns 37 in April, played only 29 games this season because of a strained left calf, a lower-back strain, and a partially torn ligament in his left knee. He has not played since May 31.
“I need to get healthy first of all and then I’ll decide what I want to do,’’ Pearce said. “I don’t have any regrets about my career, that’s for sure.’’
Pearce, a free agent after the season, flew to Boston for the weekend to reconnect with his teammates and visit with coaching staff.
“I wanted to be around to see everybody together one more time,’’ he said.
Pearce has hit .254 with a .772 OPS, 91 home runs, and 303 RBIs for seven teams in his career.
The Red Sox acquired Pearce from Toronto on June 28, 2018, to platoon with Mitch Moreland at first base. Pearce had a .901 OPS in 50 regular-season games then was 11 of 38 with six extra-base hits, nine walks, 12 runs, and 11 RBIs in 13 postseason games.
Pearce hit a tying home run off closer Kenley Jansen in the eighth inning of Game 4 of the World Series at Dodger Stadium. He added a three-run double in the ninth inning in a game the Sox won, 9-6.
In the Game 5 clincher, Pearce had a two-run homer off Clayton Kershaw in the first inning and a solo shot off Pedro Baez in the eighth.
“Best part of my career, what we did last fall,’’ Pearce said. “I’ll never forget what we did as a team.
The Sox signed Pearce to a one-year, $6.25 million contract 19 days after the Series ended. But he hit .180 with one home run and nine RBIs.
“I wish I could have done more this season,’’ he said. “That’s baseball, the ups and downs. We’ll see where it goes; but I got more out of my career than I expected. Baseball treated me great.’’
