DENVER – The Colorado Rockies lineup hung in the locker room Tuesday, with a familiar name at the first batting position: Charlie Blackmon.
The veteran outfielder has batted at or near the top spot for years in Colorado and will continue to do so when he wraps up his All-Star career in the final week of the season. Blackmon announced Monday that he will retire after Sunday’s game after 14 seasons, all of which he spent with the Rockies – a tenure surpassed only by franchise icon and Hall of Fame first baseman Todd Helton.
Blackmon spoke to reporters at Coors Field in the presence of his family, most of his current teammates and a former teammate, St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado.
“I feel like I’ve never really worked in my whole life, but I work really hard,” said Blackmon, who has his daughter Josie, 3, and son Wyatt, 1, on his lap. “So on the other hand, it’s going to be very different. But at the same time, I think it’s the right decision. The game is played at such a high level that it really requires a certain amount of time, physical ability, health and strength.”
Blackmon, 38, was clean-shaven when he made his major league debut on June 7, 2011. He alternated between playing in the minor leagues and in Colorado before joining the Rockies in 2014 and starting to grow his signature bushy beard. That was the start of a six-season stretch in which he posted a .306 batting average with 163 home runs and 472 RBIs.
He won the NL batting title in 2017 with a .331 batting average, became the first batter to score 101 runs, a major league record, and helped Colorado reach the playoffs in 2017 and 2018.
“In my opinion, the best leadoff hitter I’ve ever had the pleasure of playing with,” said Arenado, who played with Blackmon for seven seasons in Colorado before being traded to the Cardinals in 2021. “And also one of the smartest players I’ve ever had the pleasure of playing with.”
Blackmon will retire as the franchise leader in triples — he had 67 before Tuesday’s game — and second to Helton in hits, doubles, total bases and games played. Blackmon had an injury-plagued 2023 and didn’t know if he would continue, but a strong finish to last season convinced him to play in 2024.
“I was prepared last year in case things didn’t go my way,” he said. “I broke my hand and was able to come back and play well. It was kind of a blessing, like the game was taken away from me for a short time and I realized I wasn’t done. I still wanted to play.”
“I knew it was the right decision to come back this year. I went into this season with my eyes open and knew this could very well be my last round. Even in spring training, I knew this would probably be my last season.”
Blackmon, who entered the final six games with a .249 batting average, 11 home runs and 48 RBIs, said he plans to remain involved with the organization going forward.
“I’ve already spoken to some very important people who will allow me to be part of the group,” Blackmon said. “I still really want to be part of the Colorado Rockies family, I’m just not sure exactly how yet.”
He hasn’t decided yet about his beard.
“My wife Ashley has never seen me without it, so I’m a little worried about how this will be received,” he said. “There will come a time when I have to show my bare face.”
