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Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic • Former American League MVP Vladimir Guerrero is giving up on a return to baseball.
Guerrero is announcing his retirement after failing to secure a contract this season. He last played in 2011 for the Orioles.
The 38-year-old Guerrero tells a radio station in his native Dominican Republic that he made the decision in part because he's still feeling the effects of two operations on his right knee. He also wants to spend more time with his family, including a 14-year-old baseball-playing son named Vladimir Jr.
The nine-time All Star said in the interview Saturday with Z101.3 FM that his only real regret is not reaching the 500 home run mark.
Guerrero spent 16 seasons in the major leagues as an outfielder and designated hitter won the 2004 MVP with the Angels.
He also played for Montreal and Texas. He hit .318 with 449 homers and 1,496 RBIs.
Yankees' Gardner out for regular season
Brett Gardner became the latest Yankee forced to the sidelines by injury, and the timing couldn't have been worse.
The Yankees might have lost their catalyst leadoff hitter and center fielder for the remainder of the regular season due to a Grade 1 left oblique strain suffered Thursday at Baltimore.
"He's going to be out a while. it's not like it's just a few days," manager Joe Girardi said on Friday, before the Yankees opened another pivotal series against the Red Sox. "Is it possible (he) could be (out) the rest of the year? Yeah."