Former Blue Jays infielder Travis Shaw announces retirement from the game

Former Toronto Blue Jay, Travis Shaw, announced that he’d be retiring from the game of baseball in a post on Monday.

The infielder spent the pandemic hit 2020 season with the Jays, helping the team to the postseason and hitting his 100th career home run in the process.

Born and raised in Ohio, Shaw made his way to the big leagues via Kent State University. He was drafted in the ninth round of the 2011 MLB Draft by the Boston Red Sox and went on to make his MLB debut in 2015.

Shaw’s power hitting helped Milwaukee to the postseason after a trade with the Red Sox ahead of the 2017 season. He hit 30+ home runs in back to back seasons for the Brewers before a down year in 2019 led to his release.

The COVID-19 pandemic hit shortly after Shaw signed with Toronto, but he started the 2020 season between first and third base, before settling primarily in the latter position. During his time with the Jays, Shaw averaged .239, with an OBP of .306, six home runs and 17 RBI in 50 games.

His first home run for the Blue Jays came against the Miami Marlins on August 12th, it was also his 100th career round-tripper. He added his 101st later in the same game. The previous night, Shaw had knocked in a walk off run as the Jays beat Miami 5-4 in ten innings.

Following the 2020 season Shaw was non-tendered by the Jays. He went on to spend the next two seasons as a bit part player on both of his former teams, the Red Sox and the Brewers. Last season he registered just seven appearances for Boston before being designated for assignment on April 29th.

Shaw’s final FanGraphs MLB stat line has him as a career .237 hitter, with 114 home runs, 366 RBI and 8.4 WAR.

Congratulations to Shaw on an excellent career, we wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors.