Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Nick Ahmed (12) makes a play in the second inning against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium on July 24, 2024. Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Former Dodgers Infielder Announces Sudden Retirement

Originally posted on Los Angeles Dodgers on SI
By J.P. Hoornstra | Last updated Jul 25, 2025 12:30 PM ET

When Mookie Betts was hit by a pitch in June 2024, fracturing his hand, the Dodgers were left without their starting shortstop. When veteran backup Miguel Rojas injured his forearm a month later, the Dodgers turned to help from outside the organization.

Fortunately, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman knew just the guy to call.

Nick Ahmed won Gold Glove awards in 2018 and 2019 with the Arizona Diamondbacks, whom he played for from 2014-23. He had just been released by the San Francisco Giants. For 14 games on the long road to a championship, the Dodgers could not have found a better man for the job.

Ahmed, 35, announced his retirement from baseball Thursday on the Sports Spectrum podcast.

"The game has given me so much and I have so much to be thankful for from it, but now it's time to move on," Ahmed said.

Two-time Gold Glove MLB shortstop Nick Ahmed @NickAhmed13 just announced his retirement from baseball on our"Get in the Game" podcast with host @ScottLinebrink.

"The game has given me so much and I have so much to be thankful for from it, but now it's time to move on." pic.twitter.com/q34SzivOmx
— Sports Spectrum (@Sports_Spectrum) July 24, 2025

While Ahmed continued to deliver strong defense as a Dodger, his offensive output was limited. Despite hitting a go-ahead home run against his former team, the San Francisco Giants, early in his Dodgers stint, he ended up batting just .229/.245/.292 over 49 plate appearances.

He retires with a career batting average of .233, a .286 on-base percentage, and a .370 slugging percentage in 964 MLB games. By the time his career was over, Ahmed had played for four of the five National League West teams.

Ahmed finished the 2024 season with the San Diego Padres, playing one game at shortstop and another at second base during their final regular-season series in Arizona. He was not included on the Padres' roster for their National League Division Series matchup against the Dodgers.

Ahmed was released by the Padres in May. In five games with the Texas Rangers this season, he went 0-for-9.

Ahmed signed a minor league deal with the Giants prior to the 2024 season, but was released on July 10 after producing a .232/.278/.303 batting line with one home run in 172 major league plate appearances.

Originally drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the second round of the 2011 draft, Ahmed spent nearly his entire career with the Arizona Diamondbacks. In 888 games from 2014-23, he compiled a .234/.288/.376 slash line with 70 home runs, with most of his 11.5 bWAR coming from his glovework.