Jerry Blevins, second Dayton Flyers player to reach big leagues, retires after 13 seasons

Former Dayton Flyers pitcher Jerry Blevins announced his retirement from baseball on Tuesday night.

In a 13-year, big-league career, Blevins was 30-13 with a 3.54 ERA in 609 appearances. He last pitched in the big leagues in 2019, making 45 relief appearances for the Atlanta Braves.

Blevins, 37, decided not to try to pitch during the pandemic-shortened season of 2020 and told the Dayton Daily News last October he was learning toward retirement. However, Blevins signed a minor-league contract with the New York Mets in December and had been working out at the team’s alternate training site in Brooklyn, N.Y., this month.

“I feel great,” he wrote March 28 on Twitter. “My body and my arm have responded beyond my expectations. Hope to see you all in Queens soon!”

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Blevin also announced his retirement on Twitter. In a letter, he explained his decision.

“I’ve been all over the place emotionally since I made the decision a few nights ago,” Blevins wrote. “Mostly happy of course. There are major perks to retirement. Sleeping in my own bed to name one. Not having to ice my arm again to name another. But mostly I’m looking forward to being a better father, husband, brother, son, friend to the many people I’ve neglected in pursuit of my dream. I’ve missed countless weddings, funerals, birthday parties, etc. You name it, I’ve missed it. And I’m excited to be there for them like they deserve.”

Blevins thanked his family, including his mom, his brother Rob and his wife Whitney “for being my anchor in the chaos.” He thanked his sons Ellis and Ascher for giving him love and “motivation beyond my wildest dreams.”

Blevins also thanked his agent, Bobby Barad, and all the teams he played for in the big leagues and minor leagues. Lastly, Blevins thanked the fans, who he called the “lifeblood of the sport.”

A graduate of Arcadia High School near Findlay, Blevins walked on to the Dayton baseball team in 2002. He pitched just 17 1/3 innings in his first two seasons but then earned a starting job as a junior and was 7-3 with a 3.79 ERA. The Chicago Cubs drafted him in the 17th round in 2004. In July 2007, the Cubs traded him to the Oakland A’s, and he made his debut that September.

When Blevins made it to the big leagues, he was the first former Flyer to do so since Garry Roggenburk, who appeared in 79 games from 1963-69 with the Boston Red Sox, Minnesota Twins and Seattle Pilots.