Rodríguez ends career with a record 2,427 games caught
Rodríguez officially announced his retirement that day at Rangers Ballpark, ending a 21-season odyssey that began in Texas in 1991 when he was just 19 years old. When he retired at age 40, Rodríguez had amassed 14 All-Star Game selections, 13 Gold Glove Awards, the 1999 American League MVP trophy and the 2003 NLCS MVP.
Rodríguez totaled 2,844 hits, 572 doubles, 331 home runs and 1,332 RBI. He set a new all-time games caught mark in 2009 and finished his career with 2,427 games behind the plate.
Rodríguez was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2017.
“The first time I threw to Pudge and saw him, I really thought he was going to be a good receiver, and he had a great arm, we all knew that,” said Nolan Ryan, whose final three big league seasons overlapped with Rodríguez’s first three. “I never anticipated, I don’t think, for him to have the career that he had and have the impact on the organization that he had. It was really exciting and fun to watch.”
Craig Muder is the director of communications for the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
Related Hall of Famers
To the topRelated Stories
To the top
Iván Rodríguez previews his new Hall of Fame family

Rodríguez becomes first catcher to reach 20 home run/20 steal mark
