Right-hander Paolo Espino is retiring after 19 seasons in pro ball, as the 39-year-old announced that he is hanging up his glove after the World Baseball Classic is over. The longtime member of Panama’s national team saw action in both the 2006 and 2009 editions of the WBC, and is looking to pitch for his country one more time before calling it a career.
A 10th-round pick for Cleveland in the 2006 draft, Espino finally made it to the Show in March 2017 when he was 30 years and pitching with the Brewers. He tossed 24 total innings that season between the Brewers and Rangers and then didn’t resurface in the majors again until 2020 when he was a member of the Nationals.
The bulk of Espino’s time in the big leagues was spent in a Washington uniform, as the right-hander threw 233 innings over 82 games with the Nats (out of 265 2/3 career innings and 97 games). Throughout his time with the Nationals and over his career as a whole, Espino worked in a variety of roles, including as a regular starter, long reliever, bulk pitcher behind an opener, or as the proverbial last man in the bullpen reserved for blowout duty.
Espino posted a 5.12 ERA over his 265 frames with the Brewers, Rangers, Nationals, and Blue Jays, as his 8 2/3 innings over three outings with Toronto in 2024 marked the final appearances of his MLB career. The Jays outrighted Espino off the 40-man roster at the conclusion of the 2024 campaign and he elected free agency, eventually signing with Conspiradores de Queretaro of the Mexican League for part of the 2025 season.
We at MLB Trade Rumors congratulate Espino on his fine career, and we wish him all the best in his post-playing endeavors.
