Having not played in the major leagues since the end of the 2022 season, one could be mistaken for thinking that former Pittsburgh Pirates All-Star infielder Josh Harrison had already called time on his distinguished career. But he had not – at least, not until today, when Harrison announced his retirement in a post on his X account.
In a lengthy post, Harrison announced his retirement from the game after a twelve-season MLB career, the majority of which came with the Pirates. Named an All-Star in both 2014 and 2017, Harrison – who was also the winner of baseball’s Heart and Hustle Award in 2014 for “best embodying the values, spirits and traditions of the game” – had been trying to make a comeback in 2024 with the Cincinnati Reds, but has been out of baseball since last March, and today ruled out any further comeback attempts.
Brought Reliability And Versatility To The Pirates
Across his 12 seasons in the major leagues, Harrison hit for a .270 batting average, a .316 on-base percentage and a .396 slugging percentage. He retires with 73 home runs, 1080 hits, 218 doubles, 91 steals, 4,347 plate appearances and 1,208 games to his name, to go along with the two All-Star berths, and an outside run at the 2014 National League Most Valuable Player award that saw him finish ninth in the voting.
That year was by far Harrison’s best. The free-swinging infielder hit for a career-best .315 average and played five different positions in a 5.6 Wins Above Replacement season, more than double the next-best mark of his career. Harrison was rewarded at season’s end with a four-year, $27.3 million extension by the Pirates in April 2015 – and, starting in 2016, a full-time position of second base.
In his 1,208 games, Harrison played every position except catching. He played 646 games at second, 338 at third, 78 in left field, 71 in right field, 47 at shortstop, two in centre field and one at first base, while also logging six outings as a bullpen-saving pitcher. While Andrew McCutchen and Starling Marte led the offence during those seasons, Harrison provided a safe pair of hands at every position.
Upon leaving the Pirates in 2019, however, Harrison’s career bean to falter. He would play for each of the Detroit Tigers, Washington Nationals, Oakland Athletics, Chicago White Sox and Philadelphia Phillies over the next few seasons, spending his last full season with the Sox in 2022, yet never again had either the stability or the results that he did in his time with the Pirates.
Career Wind-Down Post-Pittsburgh
In his career, due to the Pirates’ struggles, Harrison – a former sixth-round pick of the Chicago Cubs – appeared in only four postseason games. He did however make the Team USA roster for the 2017 World Baseball Classic, appearing in two games, and also joined the Texas Rangers’ organisation for the second half of the 2023 season.
Harrison’s final stint with the Reds’ organisation in 2024 was a short one. It represented a homecoming of sorts; a Cincinnati native, Harrison also played his college ball for the Cincinnati Bearcats, but he never made the Reds’ roster. After being told he was not going to be making the team out of spring training, Harrison opted out of his minor-league deal with the Reds, and was not signed again in the last 14 months.
Nonetheless, Harrison’s time with the Pirates was a good one, and he signs off with a strong reputation around baseball. In his retirement post, Harrison thanked all the organisations he played with, as well as the game itself, before ending with some advice for the next generation.
“Finally, to the game of baseball, for helping shape me, humble me, and give me a platform to grow, not just as a player, but a man”, he wrote. “I’m blessed to have been a 2x All-Star and to play for as long as I did, but I never sought to prove people wrong, only to prove myself right in my beliefs.”
“With that being said, future players don’t let other people’s expectations of you limit you from reaching your full potential. Put in the work and go get what you deserve.”
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