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MLB players who may retire after the 2018 season
Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

MLB players who may retire after the 2018 season

Thanks to the designated hitter and specialty skills in high demand, baseball players can have long careers. However, MLB has also become a young man's game with many prospects getting their opportunities earlier and earlier in their careers. That means older players have to remain sharp to continue getting at-bats or their turns on the mound.

Of course, Father Time catches up with everyone in every sport, and baseball is no exception. Here are 25 MLB players who could hang up their gloves following the 2018 season.

 
1 of 25

Adrian Beltre, 3B, Rangers

Adrian Beltre, 3B, Rangers
Joe Nicholson / USA Today Sports Images

Beltre enters the last year of his contract and turns 39 in April. He has a Hall of Fame résumé with 3,048 career hits and approaching 500 home runs, but he played only 94 games last season due to injury. If the injuries continue this year, Beltre could decide to call it quits.

 
2 of 25

Joaquin Benoit, RP, Nationals

Joaquin Benoit, RP, Nationals
Bill Streicher / USA Today Sports Images

Benoit recently signed a one-year deal in Washington to extend his career at age 40. The former closer had a 4.65 ERA in 52 appearances last season and turns 41 in July.

 
3 of 25

Santiago Casilla, RP, Athletics

Santiago Casilla, RP, Athletics
Kelley L. Cox / USA Today Sports Images

Casilla signed a two-year deal with Oakland last season, but it didn't take long for him to lose the closer job. He had a 4.27 ERA, his worst since 2009, and turns 38 in July.

 
4 of 25

Bartolo Colon, SP, Rangers

Bartolo Colon, SP, Rangers
Jeffrey Becker / USA Today Sports Images

Colon will seemingly never quit, still pitching as he approaches 45 years old. He had a terrible 6.48 ERA between Atlanta and Minnesota last season, but the Rangers invited him to camp to see what he can do for a thin starting rotation.

 
5 of 25

David Freese, 3B/1B, Pirates

David Freese, 3B/1B, Pirates
Charles LeClaire / USA Today Sports Images

Freese will get free stuff in St. Louis for the rest of his life after his heroics in the 2011 World Series, and he's been solid as a role player in Pittsburgh recently. However, he will turn 35 in April and enters the final year of his contract. The market for his services could be thin after this season.

 
6 of 25

Adrian Gonzalez, 1B, Mets

Adrian Gonzalez, 1B, Mets
Steve Mitchell / USA Today Sports Images

Gonzalez struggled last season while fighting through back problems, but he has an opportunity to start at first base for the Mets this year. He will have to hold off youngster Dominic Smith after posting a .642 OPS in 71 games in L.A. last season.

 
7 of 25

Curtis Granderson, OF, Blue Jays

Curtis Granderson, OF, Blue Jays
Kim Klement / USA Today Sports Images

Still a productive power hitter, Granderson had 26 home runs between the Mets and Dodgers in 2017 at age 36. Toronto gave the veteran $5 million to play this season, but he needs to make sure his offensive slide stabilizes after hitting a career-worst .212 last season.

 
8 of 25

Rich Hill, SP, Dodgers

Rich Hill, SP, Dodgers
Joe Camporeale / USA Today Sports Images

Hill was terrific in the first year of a two-year deal with the Dodgers last season, but he managed to make only 25 regular-season starts due to injury. Injuries have been an issue for much of the soon-to-be 38-year-old lefty's career, but his second stint in MLB has been fantastic so far.

 
9 of 25

Matt Kemp, OF, Dodgers

Matt Kemp, OF, Dodgers
Joe Camporeale / USA Today Sports Images

Kemp was traded from Atlanta back to L.A. in a salary dump this offseason, but he has nowhere to find regular playing time with the Dodgers. While he still has power, Kemp's defense has slipped to a point that he's almost unplayable in the field. While he's only 33, the market for Kemp's services isn't great.

 
10 of 25

Ian Kinsler, 2B, Angels

Ian Kinsler, 2B, Angels
Rick Osentoski / USA Today Sports Images

Kinsler is finally in the last season of an 11-year contract he signed with Texas, and he's set to add more veteran leadership for the Angels. He had arguably his worst season at age 35 in Detroit last year, though, hitting just .236 — the worst batting average of his career.

 
11 of 25

Victor Martinez, DH, Tigers

Victor Martinez, DH, Tigers
Aaron Doster / USA Today Sports Images

Martinez missed time last year due to heart issues, but he's back to serve as DH for a rebuilding Tigers squad at age 39. V-Mart had a sub-.700 OPS in 107 games last season, so he will certainly need to pick up the pace this year.

 
12 of 25

Brandon McCarthy, SP, Braves

Brandon McCarthy, SP, Braves
Gary A. Vasquez / USA Today Sports Images

The oft-injured McCarthy is in the final season of a four-year deal and was traded to Atlanta in the offseason. He's thrown a total of 155.2 innings over the last three years and turns 35 in July.

 
13 of 25

Hunter Pence, OF, Giants

Hunter Pence, OF, Giants
Kelley L. Cox / USA Today Sports Images

Pence was one of the most durable players in the game early in his career, but that's changed more recently. Last season he finished with a career-low .701 OPS and enters the final season of his contract, turning 35 in April.

 
14 of 25

Martin Prado, 3B, Marlins

Martin Prado, 3B, Marlins
Steve Mitchell / USA Today Sports Images

Prado played only 37 games last season due to injury, and he's one of the few players left on the Marlins with significant major league experience. While he's only in the second year of a three-year, $40 million contract, the Marlins could be forced to pay the remainder for nothing if Prado doesn't have a better season this year.

 
15 of 25

Albert Pujols, 1B/DH, Angels

Albert Pujols, 1B/DH, Angels
Thomas Shea / USA Today Sports Images

It's not a big surprise to anyone that Pujols' 10-year contract has turned into an albatross for the Angels, but it's turned south earlier than expected. He has four years remaining on the deal, but he produced a career-worst .672 OPS as the full-time DH last season. Would the Angels call it quits on Pujols if he doesn't improve this year?

 
16 of 25

Fernando Rodney, RP, Twins

Fernando Rodney, RP, Twins
Peter Aiken / USA Today Sports Images

Rodney closed for the Diamondbacks last season, and he's set to open this season as Minnesota's closer. However, he is entering his age 41 season and had a 4.23 ERA in 2017.

 
17 of 25

CC Sabathia, SP, Yankees

CC Sabathia, SP, Yankees
Reinhold Matay / USA Today Sports Images

Sabathia had a solid year in 2017, winning 14 games with a 3.69 ERA, but his indicators weren't nearly as promising. Just on a one-year deal and with a long history of knee trouble, he isn't a safe long-term bet and turns 38 in July.

 
18 of 25

Pablo Sandoval, 3B, Giants

Pablo Sandoval, 3B, Giants
Rick Scuteri / USA Today Sports Images

San Francisco scooped up Sandoval last season after Boston moved on from him, but the acquisition of Evan Longoria during the offseason doesn't provide optimism that the Giants have a plan for the Kung Fu Panda. Sandoval was last adequate in 2014, and he could call it a career by the end of the season, if not spring training.

 
19 of 25

James Shields, SP, White Sox

James Shields, SP, White Sox
Rick Osentoski / USA Today Sports Images

Shields is entering the final year of a four-year, $75 million contract that has been an absolute disaster for the Padres and White Sox. He's had an ERA above 5.00 in consecutive seasons, and he's entering his age 36 campaign.

 
20 of 25

Melvin Upton Jr., OF, Indians

Melvin Upton Jr., OF, Indians
Kim Klement / USA Today Sports Images

Upton signed a minor league deal with Cleveland, but he has long odds to win a roster spot. He failed to appear in the majors last season, but the former star in Tampa Bay will try to win a spot as a reserve at age 33.

 
21 of 25

Chase Utley, 2B, Dodgers

Chase Utley, 2B, Dodgers
Gary A. Vasquez / USA Today Sports Images

Utley will continue to provide veteran leadership for the talented Dodgers after signing recently. While he signed a two-year deal, Utley will be 40 at the end of the calendar year and could retire before the contract expires.

 
22 of 25

Adam Wainwright, SP, Cardinals

Adam Wainwright, SP, Cardinals
Steve Mitchell / USA Today Sports Images

Wainwright hasn't been the same since suffering an Achilles injury in 2015, with a cumulative 4.81 ERA over the last two seasons. The 36-year-old is in the final year of his contract and won't draw much interest next offseason if he fails to improve this year.

 
23 of 25

David Wright, 3B, Mets

David Wright, 3B, Mets
Steve Mitchell / USA Today Sports Images

A major back injury limited Wright to 38 games in 2015, 37 games in 2016 and kept him sidelined all of last season. The Mets signed Todd Frazier to play third base, likely assuming the inevitable, but Wright is a name to cheer for until he officially hangs up his glove.

 
24 of 25

Brad Ziegler, RP, Marlins

Brad Ziegler, RP, Marlins
Stan Szeto / USA Today Sports Images

Ziegler enters the season as Miami's closer, but he's coming off a mediocre year in which he posted a 4.79 ERA. The 38-year-old submariner is under contract for only one more season.

 
25 of 25

Ben Zobrist, 2B/OF, Cubs

Ben Zobrist, 2B/OF, Cubs
Brad Mills / USA Today Sports Images

Zobrist has two years remaining on his four-year deal with the Cubs, but he's already moved to utilityman duty after struggling at the plate last season. Turning 37 in May, Zobrist is coming off a year in which he had a sub-.700 OPS.

Seth Trachtman is a fantasy sports expert and diehard Kansas City Chiefs fan. He doesn't often Tweet, but when he does, you can find him on Twitter @sethroto.

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