Tyler Wade was never a star, but managed to play with several of them in nine MLB seasons. Wade, a fourth-round draft pick by the New York Yankees in 2013, made his debut with the Bronx Bombers four years later — the first full season of Aaron Judge's career. In Anaheim, he shared a clubhouse with former American League MVPs Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani.
He finished his career backing up both Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. in San Diego. On Monday, Sept. 28, Wade announced his retirement from baseball. "For as long as I can remember, all I ever wanted was to play in the Major Leagues," Wade wrote on his Twitter/X account.
"Now, 13 years later and after 9 years in the big leagues, it's time to move on." Wade was released from his minor league contract with the Texas Rangers in April after he slashed .226/.315/.242 in 16 games with the Round Rock Express, the Rangers' Triple-A affiliate. More news: 6 World Series Matchups: Conflicts Everyone Can Root For From the outset of his career in New York, Wade established himself as a versatile defensive player who could satisfy the needs of a "small-ball" offense — laying down a bunt, putting the ball in play to move runners up, and occasionally stealing a base. Wade retires with a career batting average of .216 and only seven home runs in 507 games.
He also stole 51 bases and saw time at six different defensive positions, playing everywhere but catcher, pitcher and first base. More news: One MLB Team Named a Captain For the First Time in 58 Seasons In 2021 with the Yankees, Wade set career highs in games played (103), batting average (.268), on-base percentage (.354) and steals (17). Wade finished his career with two seasons in San Diego (2024-25).
He played 150 games with the Padres and 23 with their Triple-A affiliate, slashing .212/.296/.245 in the majors. The Padres opted to pay him a $50,000 buyout rather than pick up his 2026 option for $1 million. "l've been incredibly blessed to be a part of some amazing teams and, even more importantly, to be surrounded by incredible teammates," Wade wrote on Twitter/X.
"I want to thank the Yankees for taking a chance on an 18-year-old kid and giving me the opportunity to live out my dream of playing for the best franchise in all of sports." For more MLB news, visit Newsweek Sports.
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