MLB veteran Sergio Romo officially called it a career on Monday night (March 27), coming in to pitch for a final time as a part of the San Francisco Giants – a team he helped to win three World Series championships.
In San Francisco’s final exhibition game of the spring, Romo faced three Oakland batters in the seventh inning before being taken out by former teammate Hunter Pence. He received roaring applause and a standing ovation from the Oracle Park crowd as he tipped his cap and soaked in the moment before heading to the dugout to share a hug with manager Gabe Kapler.
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Romo signed a minor league contract with the Giants on March 18 so he could retire as a member of the team. A part of the club’s World Series wins in 2010, 2012 and 2014, Romo ranks fifth in franchise history with 515 appearances, first with 27 playoff appearances and seventh with 84 saves.
Through 15 years as a relief pitcher and closer, Romo finished with a 3.21 ERA and 137 saves. He was drafted by the Giants in 2005 in the 28th round, turning that into eight years with the team and six shutout innings in the World Series. He also played for seven other clubs, including the A’s, where he achieved his last MLB save in 2021.
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Romo’s final appearance could be seen as a symbol of the current MLB state, as the 40-year-old pitcher fell victim to two pitch clock violations. The first came after he took too long to finish his warmups and the second occurred because he took too long to throw his first pitch. Starting with a 2-0 count, Romo walked the first batter, threw a wild pitch and let up two singles to bring home an A’s run before being pulled.
Romo also donned a special hat for the occasion. Throughout spring training, every time a kid asked him for an autograph, he would ask for one back on his game hat. The result was an amalgamation of signatures and a thoughtful end to an illustrious career, one he capped off by writing a final farewell to Giants fans.
Every time a kid asked Sergio Romo for an autograph in spring training he asked them to sign his hat first. He wore this to the mound tonight: pic.twitter.com/O3CXB5BLyr
— Alex Pavlovic (@PavlovicNBCS) March 28, 2023
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