Former AL MVP retires, joins front office
Former American League MVP Justin Morneau reportedly is set to retire and rejoin the Minnesota Twins front office as a special assistant.
Hall of Fame baseball writer Bob Elliot, now of Canadian Baseball Network, first reported the news via Twitter on Monday night.
Ex-Twin Justin Morneau (New Westminster, BC) now a special assistant with the Twins. 247 career homers, .281 AVG in 14 years, .828 OPS @Twins
— bob elliott (@elliottbaseball) January 9, 2018
MLB.com confirmed the story Tuesday, citing a “Major League source,” and the Twins shared that article on their team page.
An official announcement of the hiring is expected to come later this week, the reports said.
Morneau, 36, spent the first 11 years of his career with the Twins, including his 2006 AL MVP season.
He ends his career with 247 home runs, 985 RBIs and a .281/.348,.481 slash line.
Morneau won the Home Run Derby in 2009, outdueling Josh Hamilton for the crown in the final year at the old Yankee Stadium.
He also represented Team Canada in all four World Baseball Classics to date.
Justin Morneau is officially hanging it up. https://t.co/xeOFG2RBQX
— Twinkie Town (@TwinkieTown) January 9, 2018
Morneau’s career came to an end in part because of a history of concussions that forced him to miss several games throughout the latter part of his career.
On July 7, 2010, Morneau was removed from a game against the Toronto Blue Jays after suffering a concussion while sliding into second base. He missed the All-Star Game that year and did not return for the rest of the season.
He would return to play for the Pirates and Rockies, where he won the NL batting title in 2014 with a .319 average, before closing his career with the White Sox last season.
In his final game in a Twins uniform, Morneau homered off Rangers’ ace Yu Darvish in Arlington, Texas. The game-winning blast gave him 221 career home runs for the Twins — the third most of any player in Minnesota history.
More specifics about Morneau’s involvement with the team will likely come out later this week.
Former Twins Torri Hunter, LaTroy Hawkins and Michael Cuddyer were all hired in similar roles last season.
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