After being a three-time World Series champion with his team ‘San Francisco Giants,’ the right-handed pitcher Sergio Romo retired at the end of spring training.
On March 18, 2023, the San Francisco Giants signed Sergio Romo to a minor league baseball contract.
He was then a free agent. Romo said he understood how exceptional the opportunity was, it didn’t matter how he felt physically.
Romo pitched one last time at Oracle Park, where he made a debut, and faced his former team, Oakland Athletics, in the seventh inning. Even though Romo was called out for two violations, taking too long to warm up, and delaying throwing his first pitch, the 40-year-old suppressed his emotions as he walked to the dugout.
In one of the interviews with a reporter, he said, “Not just tonight, but my whole career, I emptied the tank. I gave it everything I ever had every time. If it went well, if it went poorly, I never hung my head because I knew I gave what I had that night.”
As the saying goes, “few moments are so special that they should be recognized by special expressions” Sergio Romo’s fans did not lose the opportunity to be on their feet and give him an acclamation as a send-off gift.
In the fourth inning, Romo spent much of his time conversing with fans and signing their hats, t-shirts, jerseys, and balls. Even so, those were not meaningful and memorable as the deed he performed while in the dugout for his fans.
The California baseball legend did the unthinkable and traded with kids for autographs. Whenever a kid would ask for his signature, he would tell them to sign his ‘special hat’ first.
In an interview, Romo said if that is the last hat he would wear in the big leagues, he figured it would be nice to go in there with it. Farhan Zaidi, Giants Baseball Operations President, stated, “The relationship that Giants fans have with their players is unique – few exemplify that bond more than Sergio.”
On June 24, 2008, Romo signed a contract with San Francisco Giants and reached the major leagues. He had his first appearance on June 26, 2008. He made 45 game appearances for the Giants in 2009. Later becoming the setup man for Brian Wilson in 2010, as they won the 2010 World Series.
When the Giants recorded the 2012 World Series, Sergio Romo recorded three saves for his team. In the 2014 World Series, the Giants won their last championship against Kansas City Royals, and Romo was awarded his third World Series ring.
The three-time world champion ended his career in baseball in what seemed to be an unforgettable moment for himself and his fans. Going down as one of the greats in not just California sports, but worldwide.
“I’m so thankful for it all, just blown away. This is my end. This is my storybook ending to a fairytale of a career that I had. That’s it. What a way to go out, in orange in black. I’m privileged, privileged beyond belief.”
