Alfonso Soriano said on Tuesday that he was hanging up his cleats for good after 16 seasons in the major leagues. Soriano, who really exploded on the scene in 2001, his third with the New York Yankees, walks away with a career .270 average, 412 home runs and 1,159 RBIs.

News of his departure broke when comments he made in his native Dominican Republic began to surface on Tuesday.

"I've lost the love and passion to play the game," Soriano was quoted as saying by The Associated Press during a radio interview. "Right now, my family is the most important thing."