Jake Diekman, a dependable left-handed reliever who spent over three seasons with the Texas Rangers during a 13-year MLB career that included stints with nine different teams, announced his retirement on Friday.
The 38-year-old was originally drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 30th round of the 2007 draft out of Cloud County Community College in Concordia, Kansas.
Diekman last appeared in the majors in 2024. Earlier this year, he signed a minor league deal with the Atlanta Braves but didn’t make the opening day roster. He later joined the Lincoln Salt Dogs of the American Association of Professional Baseball.
Jake Diekman Thanks Rangers in Social Media Post
In his retirement message, Jake Diekman expressed gratitude to every team he played for, but extended a heartfelt thank you to the Texas Rangers. During his time in Arlington, Diekman was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis—a condition that sometimes impacted his ability to pitch.
“To the Texas Rangers, you went above and beyond for my personal health,” he wrote. “A year of unknowns for me health-wise was made easier because of your unwavering support and push to even go through with surgery in the first place.”
The Rangers acquired Diekman in a 2015 trade deadline deal with the Philadelphia Phillies, a blockbuster that also brought in Cole Hamels. In return, Texas sent a package that included Matt Harrison, Nick Williams, Jorge Alfaro, Jake Thompson, Alec Asher, and Jerad Eickhoff.
Diekman quickly became a key piece in the Rangers’ bullpen during their playoff push, posting a 2.08 ERA with 20 strikeouts and seven walks across 21.2 innings in 26 appearances.
He followed up with a strong 2016 campaign, going 4-2 with a 3.40 ERA over 66 games, recording four saves, 59 strikeouts, and 26 walks in 53 innings.
In 2017, Diekman underwent surgery for ulcerative colitis and was limited to just 11 games, though he still delivered a 2.53 ERA and a save in 10.2 innings.
He returned in 2018 and posted a 3.69 ERA with 48 strikeouts and 23 walks in 39 innings over 47 appearances before being traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks at the deadline.
Over his 13-year career, Diekman appeared in 705 games, all in relief, compiling a 27-34 record, 3.91 ERA, 764 strikeouts, and 358 walks in 602.1 innings.
He pitched for nine MLB teams: the Philadelphia Phillies (2012–15), Texas Rangers (2015–18), Arizona Diamondbacks (2018), Kansas City Royals (2019), Oakland Athletics (2019–21), Boston Red Sox (2022), Chicago White Sox (2022–23), Tampa Bay Rays (2023), and New York Mets (2024).
