On a day when one former MLB star announced his retirement, Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Felix Hernandez indicated he could potentially be nearing retirement as well.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Hernandez said he needed to make it back onto the mound this season if he wanted to pitch again beyond this season.
While Hernandez hopes to return to the mound in the near future and thought he might make a rehab appearance on Sunday, Mariners manager Scott Servais cast doubt upon a return that quickly.
Hernandez was sidelined in early May with a right lat strain and has been brought along slowly ever since in his recovery. The 33-year-old’s recent bullpen session was supposed to be a major step in his potential return, but now it could be delayed even further.
If Hernandez were to suffer a setback this late in the season, there’s a chance it could sideline him for the remainder of the year. Given where his mindset is at, that means we might have seen the last of a sports legend in Seattle.
While injuries have led to Hernandez’s play falling off in recent years, he has spent his entire 14-year career in Seattle and been dominant over that span with a 3.38 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 2501 strikeouts. He is also a six-time All-Star, won the 2010 Cy Young and threw the only perfect game in team history.