Jason Kipnis, former Cubs 2B, announces retirement

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Jason Kipnis is calling it a career. The former Cubs second baseman and Northbrook native announced on Twitter on Monday that he is retiring.

“I’d be lying if I said I wanted to write this,” Kipnis wrote. “To have to officially acknowledge that my time as a player in the game of baseball is over. I always heard you rarely get to end your career on your own terms. They weren’t lying.

“Breaking my hamate bone on my last swing with Cleveland meant no fun hat tip before leaving. Got to go home and wear the Cubbie blue and return to Cle as a visitor; pandemic, empty stadiums, no closure. Instead, it ended the way my professional career started, riding buses in the minor leagues. And then the lockout happened, and before I knew it, it was over. My mind and body just aren’t up for the commitment anymore. Frustrating at first, but there's only one feeling I’m left with that stands out above all…. Gratitude.”

Kipnis spent the majority of his career in Cleveland, and was often one of the team’s most consistent hitters during their stretch of A.L. Central titles and postseason appearances in the mid-2010s. Kipnis was also a big contributor in the 2016 World Series for Cleveland, even though the Cubs eventually won in seven games. Across the series, Kipnis hit .290/.313/.581 with two home runs, four RBI and six runs scored.

Kipnis managed to have success over his 10 year career by blending the ability to hit for average and power while staying disciplined at the plate and swiping a handful of bags every year. He was a plus defender, too, and carried a career .984 fielding percentage.

Kipnis played only one year with the Cubs in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. In 44 games he slashed .237/.341/.404 with three homers, 16 RBI and 13 runs scored. That was Kipnis’ last season at the major league level. He spent 2021 with the Braves’ Triple-A team, and did not play professional baseball in 2022. Kipnis was a two-time All-Star, in 2013 and 2015.

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