{"id":613250,"date":"2026-03-08T12:34:31","date_gmt":"2026-03-08T12:34:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/613250\/"},"modified":"2026-03-08T12:34:31","modified_gmt":"2026-03-08T12:34:31","slug":"former-blue-jays-pitcher-paolo-espino-announces-retirement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/613250\/","title":{"rendered":"Former Blue Jays pitcher Paolo Espino announces retirement"},"content":{"rendered":"

Paolo Espino\u2019s return to the World Baseball Classic<\/a> \u2014 20 years after his first WBC \u2014\u00a0will mark the end of the road for the 39-year-old pitcher.<\/p>\n

MORE: Mets pitcher suddenly removed from Team Israel at WBC<\/a><\/p>\n

Espino announced (via Antonio Puesan<\/a> on X) that after Panama\u2019s WBC run ends, he will retire as a professional pitcher.<\/p>\n

El derecho paname\u00f1o Paolo Espino anunci\u00f3 que luego de finalizar el Cl\u00e1sico Mundial de B\u00e9isbol con su selecci\u00f3n de Panam\u00e1 se retira como lanzador profesional. pic.twitter.com\/OZ2c9VaDhS<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Antonio Pues\u00e1n (@antoniopuesan) March 7, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Espino is two years removed from his last appearance in a Major League Baseball<\/a> game with the Toronto Blue Jays. He went 0-1 with an 8.31 ERA in three appearances for the Jays in 2024.<\/p>\n

Three players who appeared in the FIRST World Baseball Classic in 2006 are playing AGAIN 20 years later \ud83e\udd2f<\/p>\n

Alexei Ramirez played for Team Cuba in 2006 and returns to the squad in 2026, nearly 10 years after his last MLB appearance. At 44 years old, he is the oldest player in\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/OotZ56wmbo<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) February 26, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Espino is one of three players, along with Cuba\u2019s Alexei Ramirez and the Netherlands\u2019 Shairon Martis, who participated in the first WBC in 2006 still on the field.<\/p>\n

Espino was released by the Blue Jays after the 2024 season, where he pitched primarily for Triple-A Buffalo. More recently, he pitched briefly in Mexico (five games for the Conspiradores de Queretaro) before even shorter stints in the Puerto Rico and Dominican Winter Leagues.<\/p>\n

Espino was originally drafted by the Cleveland Indians (10th round of the 2006 MLB Draft) coming off his performance in the WBC. <\/p>\n

Espino would not reach the majors until 2017, however, when he made six appearances for the Milwaukee Brewers and six for the Texas Rangers. <\/p>\n

Espino found a regular role with the Washington Nationals, going 5-14 with a 4.91 ERA in 82 games (39 starts) from 2020-23.<\/p>\n

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