Jul 30, 2018; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Texas Rangers relief pitcher Jake Diekman (41) pitches against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the ninth inning at Chase Field. Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Former Rangers Reliever Jake Diekman Announces Retirement from Majors

Originally posted on Texas Rangers on SI
By Matt Postins | Last updated May 24, 2025 9:00 AM ET

Jake Diekman, the former Texas Rangers reliever who played for nine different teams over 13 seasons, announced his retirement on Friday.

Diekman, who is 38 years old, built his career after he was selected in the 30th round by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2007 out of Cloud County Community College in Concordia, Kan.

He last played in the Majors in 2024. He signed with the Atlanta Braves on a minor league deal earlier this year but didn’t make the opening day roster. He later signed with the Lincoln Salt Dogs in the American Association of Professional Baseball.

Jake Diekman Thanks Rangers in Social Media Post

In his post, he thanked every team he played for, but gave a specific thank you to the Rangers. During his tenure in Arlington, he was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, which at times limited his availability.

“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.”

✌it’s been a blast pic.twitter.com/klyiwduchf
— Jake Diekman (@JakeDiekman) May 23, 2025

The Rangers acquired Dieman in a trade at the deadline in 2015, along with Cole Hamels, as the Rangers sent the Philadelphia Phillies Matt Harrison, Nick Williams, Jorge Alfaro, Jake Thompson, Alec Asher, and Jerad Eickhoff.

Diekman fit right into the Rangers’ bullpen during a playoff drive in which he finished with a 2.08 ERA in 26 appearances with 20 strikeouts and seven walks in 21.2 innings.

He had a fantastic year with Texas in 2016, as he went 4-2 with a 3.40 ERA in 66 games, with four saves, 59 strikeouts and 26 walks in 53 innings.

In 2017 he underwent surgery for ulcerative colitis and only appeared in 11 games, finishing with a 2.53 ERA and a save in 10.2 innings.

He returned in 2018 and while he went 1-1 with a 3.69 ERA in 47 games, with 48 strikeouts and 23 walks in 39 innings. The Rangers flipped Diekman at the trade deadline to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

For his career, Diekman was 27-34 with a 3.91 ERA in 705 games, all in relief. He finished with 764 strikeouts and 358 walks in 602.1 innings.

Diekman played for nine Major League teams — the Philadelphia Phillies (2012–15), the Texas Rangers (2015–18), the Arizona Diamondbacks (2018), the Kansas City Royals (2019), the Oakland Athletics (2019–21), the Boston Red Sox (2022), Chicago White Sox (2022–23), the Tampa Bay Rays (2023) and the New York Mets (2024).

This article first appeared on Texas Rangers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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