Matt Beaty, a utility player who was part of the Los Angeles Dodgers' 2020 World Series-winning team, has announced his retirement from professional baseball at the age of 33. Beaty shared the news on Instagram, marking the official end of his playing career after almost two years away from the game.

"I believe it’s time to finally officially announce that I’m entering the next chapter of my life," Beaty wrote in his social media post. "It’s been almost two years since my last at-bat in baseball. The time since then has been filled with questions and back-and-forth. Should I keep playing? Is there another opportunity out there? Or is it finally time to close this chapter?"

He reflected on the difficulty of stepping away from a sport that has been a significant part of his life, involving years of dedication, sacrifice, and missed opportunities for a typical life experience. "In my experience, a decision like this isn’t easy. You spend your entire life devoting time, effort and sacrifice to a game," he stated. "When something has been such a huge part of your life for so long, walking away is hard."

Beaty was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 12th round of the 2015 MLB Draft. He made his MLB debut in 2019, slashing .265/.317/.458 with nine home runs and 46 RBIs in 268 plate appearances. During his rookie season, he hit a memorable two-run walk-off home run against the Colorado Rockies on June 21, 2019, just 58 career plate appearances into his career.

He was a versatile left-handed bat for the Dodgers, setting career highs in several offensive categories during his tenure. Although he faced struggles in the shortened 2020 season, he was a member of the Dodgers team that won the World Series.

In 2022, the Dodgers traded Beaty to the San Diego Padres. He also spent time with the San Francisco Giants and the Kansas City Royals organizations, last playing professionally in September 2024 with the Arizona Diamondbacks’ Double-A affiliate. Over his career, Beaty compiled a .247 batting average with 19 home runs and 96 RBIs in 290 regular season games.

"Deep down, I think I knew my last game was my last game. I just held onto the hope that it wouldn’t be," Beaty concluded in his announcement.