'Sad To See It End Like This': Orioles Fans Run Gamut Of Emotions Over Chris Davis Retirement

(WJZ)- After suffering a hip injury that has kept him from playing at all in 2021, Baltimore Orioles slugger Chris Davis announced his retirement Thursday. The announcement ends a decade-long tenure with the team that was a roller coaster of moments throughout.

For fans, the news left them with mixed emotions. Some, remembering the good times with Davis, wished him well upon his retirement.

To those fans' point, there was plenty to smile about in the early part of Davis' tenure with the team. In 2013, he based 53 homers and plated 138 runs on his way to the All-Star game and a third-place finish in the MVP vote. In 2015, he clobbered another 47 home runs and brought in 117 runs to finish in the Top-15 of the MVP vote.

But, after a still solid year in 2016 (38 HR, 84 RBI), things started going downhill. He hit just .215 in 2017 and then followed it up with two of the worst hitting seasons in MLB history in 2018 and 2019 when he hit a paltry .168 and .179 respectively with 28 total home runs. That those performances came in the midst of a 7-year $161 million contract extension left a bad taste in other fans mouths.

Others were left saddened by the news. Seeing a player forced to retire by injury and not on his own terms.

Many fans pointed out that Davis was known for his good works in the community. The emotions ran the gamut but it seems clear that Davis' time in Baltimore, flawed though the last few seasons have been, will be remembered mostly for the good times.

• Baltimore Orioles
• Major League Baseball