Braves catcher Brian McCann, 35, calls it a career

AP photo by John Amis / Atlanta Braves catcher Brian McCann pulls back his mitt after tagging out the Miami Marlins' Jorge Alfaro at home in the ninth inning of the Braves' 4-3 win on July 7 in Atlanta. AP photo by John Amis / Atlanta Braves catcher Brian McCann pulls back his mitt after tagging out the Miami Marlins' Jorge Alfaro at home in the ninth inning of the Braves' 4-3 win on July 7 in Atlanta.

By Associated Press October 9, 2019 3 min read

ATLANTA – Brian McCann’s baseball homecoming didn’t end the way he hoped.

McCann has retired after a 15-year MLB career that included two stints with his hometown Atlanta Braves, with the 35-year-old catcher making the announcement Wednesday after the 13-1 loss to St. Louis in the decisive Game 5 of their National League Division Series.

“It’s sad but it’s time,” McCann said softly in a somber home clubhouse at SunTrust Park as he made his announcement. “I had a long career. Fifteen years is a long time, catching every day. I got to play in my hometown.”

McCann, from Duluth High School in the Atlanta area, played his first nine MLB seasons with the Braves. After three seasons with the New York Yankees and two with the Houston Astros, McCann returned to Atlanta to renew a friendship with Braves manager Brian Snitker that began in the minors.

“I’ve known Snit for a long time, since he was a Double-A manager,” the seven-time All-Star said. “I enjoyed the chance to do this with him.”