Former Orioles Slugger Announces Retirement

Mancini, 34, got back to the majors this season for the first time since 2023. He went 4-for-13 in five games with the Angels before losing his 26-man roster spot to a returning Vaughn Grissom. Rather than accepting an outright assignment to Triple-A Salt Lake after clearing waivers, he elected free agency.

In 836 career MLB games, Mancini produced a .263/.327/.448 slash line with 129 home runs and 404 RBIs. The right-handed slugger played for four teams but spent the bulk of his career with the Orioles, who drafted him in the eighth-round in 2013.

With Baltimore, Mancini recorded four seasons with 20 or more home runs, including a career-best 2019 campaign in which he totaled 35 home runs and 97 RBIs. The first baseman was awarded AL Comeback Player of the Year in 2021 after missing the previous season while battling colon cancer. He produced a .758 OPS over 147 games after overcoming the illness.

The following season, Mancini was traded to the Houston Astros in a three-team deal at the deadline. He struggled offensively in the second half and went 1-for-21 in the postseason but did make a game-saving defensive play late in Game 5 of the World Series, helping the Astros ultimately win the title. His option was declined after the season, making him a free agent.

Mancini signed a two-year, $14 million deal with the Chicago Cubs that winter but played just 79 games before being released. The slugger spent the next two years trying to work his way back on minor league deals before ultimately reaching the majors with the Angels in 2026.

“Now that I had that experience this year, it feels good to officially retire,” Mancini said.