Former Blue Jays infielder Devon Travis announces retirement

With the announcement coming via the Outta the Park podcast last week, former Toronto Blue Jays infielder Devon Travis has officially retired from Major League Baseball and is now taking on a new role as a coach within the Atlanta Braves minor league system.

Acquired from the Detroit Tigers in exchange for prospect outfielder Anthony Gose, Travis made his major league debut with the Blue Jays in 2015 and would spend parts of four seasons on the active roster. For his career, the offensive-minded second baseman would play in 316 games and would slash .274/.314/.437 with 35 home runs, 153 RBI, and a .751 OPS. Defensively, Travis would finish with a .978 fielding percentage with 811 assists and 30 errors, earning -7 defensive runs saved at second base, the only position he played with the Blue Jays.

While the Florida native would find some success at the major league level, injuries became his downfall, as he could never stay healthy enough to secure a position on the active roster. He would spend numerous times on the injured list with various ailments in his shoulders and in his knees, missing the entire 2019 season after undergoing left knee surgery. During the 2019/2020 off-season, the Blue Jays would outright him to the AAA roster, a move Travis would decline and elect for free agency instead, thus ending his time as a member of the Jays.

For Travis, the main question will be the “what if’s” in regards to his potential and his ability to contribute at the major league level if he was just able to stay healthy. Considering he was the Blue Jay’s primary second baseman during the 2015 season, one wonders how he would have contributed during the playoff run that year if he was healthy and didn’t finish the season on the injured list. Although he did miss the 2015 playoff run, he was able to experience the post-season in 2016, mustering one hit in just 12 plate appearances throughout the entire playoffs (Wild Card to Conference Series).

At 30 years old, Travis has now shifted his sights to coaching the next wave of prospects, as he is set to report to the Atlanta Braves Gulf Coast Rookie League team. It is not apparent as to what his particular role will be considering the GCL Braves already have a manager and hitting coach on the roster. Regardless of the particulars, someone with experience like Travis is sure to be beneficial on the bench when it comes to mentoring the younger prospects in the Braves organization.

I truly wish the best of luck to Devon Travis as he begins a new chapter in his baseball career.