The 2022 Major League Baseball was the final curtain for a handful of longtime luminaries, most notably including prospective Hall of Famer Yadier Molina and a no-doubter for Cooperstown, Albert Pujols.
As the start of the 2023 season draws near, we can't help but wonder: Who might be next to call it a career?
The final list could end up being a lengthy one, but we focused on 10 star players who are candidates to be on it come the end of the year. A couple are already planning on '23 being their last hurrah. Otherwise, we were left to speculate on who's nearing the end of the line by weighing their service time, accomplishments and any relevant public comments they've made.
Lest anyone confuse this for anything other than a sentimental exercise, we've shared our favorite memory of each player. At least as they stand right now, anyway.
Let's start with some honorable mentions and then count 'em down from least likely to most likely to retire.
Honorable Mentions
DH Matt Carpenter, San Diego Padres
Having turned 37 back on Nov. 26, Carpenter will enter 2023 as one of the oldest hitters in the league. But if there's more where last year's stupendous 1.138 OPS came from, his returning for his age-38 season in 2024 would hardly be out of the question.
OF/DH Andrew McCutchen, Pittsburgh Pirates
The 36-year-old McCutchen is on the downswing of his career, having posted a subpar OPS+ for the first time in 2022. But if his return to the Pirates for 2023 ends up reinvigorating him, both team and player could be only too willing to re-up for 2024
RHP David Robertson, New York Mets
Robertson will turn 38 on April 9, and the '23 campaign will be his 15th in the majors. He might nonetheless still be too good to retire at the end of it, as he was indeed one of the top relievers in the bigs last year by way of a 2.40 ERA over 63.2 innings
3B Justin Turner, Boston Red Sox
On Nov. 23, Turner celebrated his 38th birthday a few days before Carpenter celebrated his 37th. He does have a $13.4 million player option for 2024 on his deal, however, and he might exercise it if this year so much as goes as well as 2022 did. He had a solid .788 OPS over 128 games.
10. RHP Charlie Morton, Atlanta Braves
Age: 39
MLB Seasons: 15
2022 Stats: 31 GS, 172.0 IP, 149 H (28 HR), 205 K, 63 BB, 4.34 ERA
Charlie Morton has occasionally broadcasted uncertainty about his future, including when he and the Tampa Bay Rays were gearing up for the shortened season in 2020.
Likewise, there have been occasions in the last few years when opposing hitters have not so politely suggested that retirement might be the best thing for Morton. For example, he pitched to a 4.74 ERA in 2020 and he began last year with a 5.67 ERA through 12 outings.
Simply to these extents, one can imagine Morton choosing to make his 16th season in the majors his final one. Yet he doesn't have to walk away, and he might not if he finds he still has gas in the tank.
While Morton may have started last season poorly, he was on his way to finishing it with a 3.63 ERA over his last 19 starts—in which his fastball averaged 94.8 mph—by the time Atlanta signed him to a one-year extension in September. It includes a $20 million club option for 2024, which may well be picked up if his '23 season goes as well as '22 eventually did.
