Trey Mancini’s run as a big leaguer is coming full circle in Baltimore.
The former Orioles slugger is set to retire as an Oriole, with the team announcing Friday that he will sign a one-day contract and officially end his career on Sept. 19, when Baltimore hosts the Milwaukee Brewers at Camden Yards.
Mancini, 34, announced his retirement from baseball in an Instagram post last week. After eight seasons in the majors, he is stepping away following a comeback this season with the Los Angeles Angels. His first six MLB seasons came with the Orioles, where he became a fixture for fans and a central figure in one of the most emotional stretches in recent team history.
He hit 117 home runs for Baltimore, including a team-high 35 in 2019. Mancini is also remembered in Baltimore for his courageous battle with cancer in 2020 and the comeback that followed in 2021.
“As some of you may have heard, I am officially retiring from professional baseball. I am blessed to have made a home in the Orioles organization for ten years, win a World Series in Houston, play for the Cubs in Chicago (I wish I played better for you guys), and make it back up to the MLB with the Angels,” Mancini said in his message on Instagram.
“Finally, to every fan, especially those in Birdland- your support over the years has meant the world to me. There is nothing more special in sports than a connection between a team and their fans, and I was lucky enough to feel that everywhere I played,” Mancini said.
The Orioles have already built a tribute around that connection. During Mancini’s battle in 2020, the team sold “F16HT” T-shirts to benefit the Colorectal Cancer Alliance Patient and Family Support Services, and the effort brought in more than $80,000.
Now the club is planning a larger celebration for his Sept. 19 farewell. That will include a limited-edition hat featuring the “F16HT” logo, with part of the proceeds going to The Trey Mancini Foundation, which supports people facing food insecurity, illness and hardships.
The familiar F16HT sign in the home dugout tunnel, which has stayed up every season since 2020, will be moved to the Club Level archives at Camden Yards. In its place, a new permanent sign will be unveiled during a pregame ceremony.
Former teammates, coaches, staff members, medical professionals and others who had a major impact on Mancini’s life are expected to be on hand for the game. Mancini will also throw out the ceremonial first pitch.
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