Longtime Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard announced his retirement from baseball Tuesday following a 13-year MLB career.
Howard, who last played in the major leagues during the 2016 season, confirmed the decision in an essay entitled "Thank You, Philly" for The Players' Tribune.
"And that's definitely something I've learned, one way or another, over these last 14 years: How, in baseball, man…you truly do have to take the all of it," he wrote. "You truly don't get your share of the sweet, in this game, without taking your share of the sour.