Two-Time All-Star Tettleton Retires

Texas Ranger designated hitter Mickey Tettleton, who ranked eighth in major league history in career homers by a switch-hitter with 245, retired Sunday.

“This wasn’t a roster decision,” said Tettleton, 36, who was a catcher for most of his carer. “This was totally my decision. It was something I had talked about before and it just didn’t happen then. The time is right. Every athlete has the day when he has to come to that decision.”

Tettleton, who played for 14 years, started his career with Oakland and also played for Baltimore and Detroit. He signed with the Rangers in 1995. He had a .241 career average with 732 RBIs. He had four 30-homer seasons in a five-year span and was twice chosen to the American League All-Star team.

Tettleton had off-season surgery to repair torn knee cartilage and was sidelined from mid-April until June 23.

The Rangers activated infielder Bill Ripken.

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