Andre Ethier retires after 12-year career with Dodgers

LOS ANGELES – Andre Ethier, a two-time All-Star during a 12-year career with the Los Angeles Dodgers, is retiring from baseball.

The Dodgers, the only team Ethier played for, announced Wednesday they will honor him with a retirement ceremony before their Aug. 3 game against Houston. The ceremony will include tributes from teammates.

“I look forward to coming back to Los Angeles and Dodger Stadium, places I’m so lucky to have called home for the last 12 years,” Ethier said in a statement. “There’s nothing like stepping out on the field at Dodger Stadium and looking up and seeing the faithful Dodger Blue supporting you, and I’m grateful for the reception and support I received in all my years playing there.”

Ethier hit .285 with 162 homers and 687 RBIs in 1,455 games. He had 14 walk-off RBIs, the second-most in Dodgers history behind Dusty Baker’s 16. His last major league at-bat was a pinch-hit RBI single in Game 7 of last year’s World Series against the Astros.

The Dodgers acquired Ethier from Oakland in a December 2005 for Milton Bradley and Antonio Perez. Ethier became a free agent last fall and remained unsigned.