The Commissioner's Trophy was soon in hand as the newly crowned 2022 World Series champions, the Houston Astros, gathered at the podium. Michael Brandley. His teammates confirmed it.
The smiles around Brantley told the story: After 1,430 major league games, he earned his World Series ring.
Brantley hasn't seen action since June 26 of that season after undergoing right shoulder surgery for the fourth time, but his teammates wanted him to be in the middle of the celebration.
“It was a very special part for me,” Brantley recalled Thursday in a phone interview with MLB.com. “My teammates would stop me in the middle and tell me to raise the trophy. I still get goosebumps thinking about it. I'll always remember that.”
Now, Brantley is retiring after a stellar career in which he hit .298 in 10 seasons with Cleveland and five with Houston. The Ranger hit 129 home runs and drove in 720 runs in those 15 seasons, in which he was invited to five All-Star games.
“I have young children, and now it's time to be a father, first,” Brantley said.
