Former Mariners utility player Willie Bloomquist announces retirement

Willie Bloomquist, who began and ended his 14-year MLB career with the Mariners, announced his retirement from baseball Friday on Twitter.

Bloomquist, a Bremerton native who attended South Kitsap High School, began and ended his career with Seattle. The utility player broke in with the Mariners in 2002, spending seven years with the team before moving on to Kansas City, Cincinnati and Arizona. He returned to the M’s in 2014, but was let go during the 2015 season.

In 1,055 MLB games, he had a .269/.316/.342 slash line with 18 home runs and 133 stolen bases.

The 38-year-old Bloomquist made his announcement in the form of a video where he drills a pitch over the left-field wall.

Make your last swing your BEST swing. Farewell @MLB. Thank you for 14 amazing seasons. It's been an incredible ride. pic.twitter.com/VuImzqOrSl

— Willie Bloomquist (@williebloom) March 11, 2016