Former Tigers catcher Alex Avila will retire at the end of the 2021 MLB season, according to a report from Maria Torres of The Athletic. Avila, 34, is currently playing out his final season in a part-time role with the Washington Nationals.
The bulk of Avila’s 13-year career came with the Tigers. He spent eight seasons in Detroit, playing in 760 games. In 2,709 plate appearances, he hit .245/.350/.404 with 77 home runs and 314 RBI.
Avila made his MLB debut with the Tigers in 2009 and quickly established himself as a fan favorite (and a BYB meme) by posting a .