Howie Kendrick went out on his own terms and as a Washington Nationals’ star!

Before the news was announced by the media through some anonymous sourced report, Howie Kendrick beat everyone to it by publishing his own words on his Instagram account regarding the decision to retire from baseball. For months he spoke about returning to play again, and even at the beginning of this month he reiterated that. Just three weeks later — something changed — and Kendrick called his baseball career, complete. There will not be a Hall of Fame enshrinement, but he will forever be a part of Cooperstown due to his donation of  Nats World Series memorabilia. Not only did Kendrick hit the grand slam in extra innings to beat the Dodgers in the finale of the NLDS, but then he hit the CLANG heard ’round the world in the World Series to win that. Forever a Nationals hero.

There were only 258 games with the Nationals, but most had an impact — and none more than the 17 played in the 2019 postseason. Those are the games that make legends. When those stories are retold in 100 years, they will sound like fiction. That is the greatest part of it all. Truer than any fiction written.

“He’s been one of the heart and souls of this team,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez said.

“The grand slam is still the biggest moment because we wouldn’t be here without that,” Kendrick said after the World Series win. “So for me, that’s still got to be the top moment in my career, but this is truly special.”

Howie’s .294 career batting average was legit, but too often Kendrick was thrust into a role fit for a bench player. He had to learn new positions to extend his career moving him from the infield to the outfield and then to first base and finally as a designated hitter when COVID forced the National League to play the DH for the 2020 season.

When the Nats acquired him in a mid-season trade with the rival Phillies, the thought was he would be a key part of the Nats postseason in 2017. Howie was healthy and only saw three plate appearances in that NLDS. During that 2017 regular season, Kendrick slashed .315/ .368/ .475/ .844, but yet he never started a game in that postseason with the Nats. He did not hold general manager Mike Rizzo responsible for getting the shaft in the postseason, and after testing free agency for 76 days, he signed again with the Nats. Unfortunately, he blew out his Achilles that limited him to only 40 games in 2018. Kendrick rehabbed his way back ahead of most expectations and had the best season of his career in 2019 slashing .344/ .395/ .572/ .966.

While “father time” caught up with Howie in 2020 at 37 years of age, “father time” is what he said he will enjoy going forward with his young sons Owen and Tyson.

“To my wife Jody, my sons Owen and Tyson, I love you more than anything in this world,” Kendrick wrote on his Instagram. “Thank you for sticking it out on this ride I called a dream. After all of this we’ve made it to dad being home everyday. I’m looking forward to being a constant pain in your butt day in and day out.”

 “… my Beloved Washington Nationals, thank you for embracing me as one of your own. I feel as though I’d been a National my whole career and the wild, humbling and crazy ride we had in 2019 truly culminated everything I’d learned in my career, and we all became World Champions.”

Life imitates art sometimes in the most peculiar ways. Kendrick was an artist with a baseball bat. It was his gray Trinity lumber that stroked a masterpiece. He has put indelible images in our brains that we will never forget, and for that, we thank him. He was a gentleman, and a person we wish we had more time with. Now his time will go to his family, and we must let him go while holding a place for him always in Nationals lore.

And lets relive each of Howie’s PAs in the 2019 post-season.

Wild Card Game – 2019-10-01

Innning	Result
2	Howie Kendrick singles on a sharp ground ball to left fielder Ryan Braun.
4	Howie Kendrick lines out sharply to left fielder Ryan Braun.
7	Howie Kendrick grounds out, shortstop Orlando Arcia to first baseman Eric Thames.

Division Series Game 1 – 2019-10-03

Innning	Result
2	Howie Kendrick called out on strikes.
4	Howie Kendrick walks. Anthony Rendon to 2nd.
7	Howie Kendrick lines out to right fielder Chris Taylor.

Division Series Game 2 – 2019-10-04

Innning	Result
1	Howie Kendrick singles on a sharp ground ball to left fielder A. J. Pollock. Trea Turner scores. Anthony Rendon to 3rd. Juan Soto to 2nd.
3	Howie Kendrick flies out sharply to center fielder Cody Bellinger.
5	Howie Kendrick grounds out, third baseman Justin Turner to first baseman Max Muncy.
7	Howie Kendrick grounds out, second baseman Gavin Lux to first baseman Max Muncy.
9	Howie Kendrick flies out to center fielder Cody Bellinger.

Division Series Game 3 – 2019-10-06

Innning	Result
1	Howie Kendrick grounds out, shortstop Corey Seager to first baseman Max Muncy.
4	Howie Kendrick flies out to left fielder A. J. Pollock.
6	Howie Kendrick singles on a sharp line drive to right fielder Enrique Hernandez. Anthony Rendon to 3rd. Juan Soto to 2nd.
8	Howie Kendrick flies out to right fielder Enrique Hernandez.

Division Series Game 4 – 2019-10-07

Innning	Result
2	Howie Kendrick singles on a sharp line drive to center fielder Cody Bellinger.
3	Howie Kendrick grounds out, third baseman Justin Turner to first baseman Max Muncy.
5	Howie Kendrick singles on a line drive to left fielder Matt Beaty. Anthony Rendon to 3rd.
7	Howie Kendrick grounds out, third baseman Justin Turner to first baseman Max Muncy.

Division Series Game 5 – 2019-10-09

Innning	Result
2	Howie Kendrick strikes out swinging.
4	Howie Kendrick flies out sharply to center fielder Cody Bellinger.
6	Howie Kendrick grounds into a double play, second baseman Max Muncy to shortstop Corey Seager to first baseman Matt Beaty. Juan Soto out at 2nd. Howie Kendrick out at 1st.
8	Howie Kendrick strikes out swinging.
10	Howie Kendrick hits a grand slam (1) to center field. Adam Eaton scores. Anthony Rendon scores. Juan Soto scores.

League Championship Series Game 1 – 2019-10-11

Innning	Result
2	Howie Kendrick doubles (1) on a sharp line drive to center fielder Dexter Fowler.
4	Howie Kendrick grounds out, shortstop Paul DeJong to first baseman Paul Goldschmidt.
6	Howie Kendrick grounds out, shortstop Paul DeJong to first baseman Paul Goldschmidt.
7	Howie Kendrick singles on a line drive to center fielder Dexter Fowler. Adam Eaton scores. Anthony Rendon to 2nd.
9	Carlos Martinez intentionally walks Howie Kendrick.

League Championship Series Game 2 – 2019-10-12

Innning	Result
2	Howie Kendrick grounds out, shortstop Paul DeJong to first baseman Paul Goldschmidt.
4	Howie Kendrick strikes out swinging.
7	Howie Kendrick grounds out, third baseman Matt Carpenter to first baseman Paul Goldschmidt.
8	Howie Kendrick strikes out swinging.

League Championship Series Game 3 – 2019-10-14

Innning	Result
2	Howie Kendrick called out on strikes.
3	Howie Kendrick doubles (2) on a sharp line drive to right fielder Jose Martinez. Anthony Rendon scores. Juan Soto scores.
5	Howie Kendrick doubles (3) on a sharp line drive to left fielder Marcell Ozuna. Anthony Rendon scores.
7	Howie Kendrick doubles (4) on a sharp line drive to center fielder Dexter Fowler.

League Championship Series Game 4 – 2019-10-15

Innning	Result
1	Dakota Hudson intentionally walks Howie Kendrick.
2	Howie Kendrick grounds into a double play, third baseman Tommy Edman to second baseman Kolten Wong to first baseman Paul Goldschmidt. Anthony Rendon out at 2nd. Howie Kendrick out at 1st.
5	Howie Kendrick flies out to right fielder Jose Martinez.
7	Howie Kendrick strikes out swinging.

World Series Game 1 – 2019-10-22

Innning	Result
2	Howie Kendrick grounds out, shortstop Carlos Correa to first baseman Yuli Gurriel.
4	Howie Kendrick flies out to right fielder Josh Reddick.
5	Howie Kendrick lines out sharply to shortstop Carlos Correa.
8	Howie Kendrick flies out to right fielder Michael Brantley.

World Series Game 2 – 2019-10-23

Innning	Result
1	Howie Kendrick flies out to right fielder Josh Reddick.
3	Howie Kendrick flies out to right fielder Josh Reddick.
6	Howie Kendrick lines out to center fielder George Springer.
7	Howie Kendrick singles on a ground ball to third baseman Alex Bregman. Victor Robles scores. Trea Turner to 3rd. Juan Soto to 2nd.
8	Howie Kendrick singles on a line drive to left fielder Michael Brantley. Juan Soto to 2nd.

World Series Game 3 – 2019-10-25

Innning	Result
8	Howie Kendrick singles on a ground ball to center fielder George Springer.

World Series Game 4 – 2019-10-26

Innning	Result
2	Howie Kendrick strikes out swinging.
4	Howie Kendrick flies out to center fielder Jake Marisnick.
6	Howie Kendrick strikes out swinging.
8	Howie Kendrick strikes out swinging.

World Series Game 5 – 2019-10-27

Innning	Result
2	Howie Kendrick singles on a sharp line drive to center fielder George Springer. Juan Soto to 3rd.
4	Howie Kendrick grounds into a force out, shortstop Carlos Correa to second baseman Jose Altuve. Anthony Rendon out at 2nd.
7	Howie Kendrick strikes out swinging.
9	Howie Kendrick grounds out, third baseman Alex Bregman to first baseman Yuli Gurriel.

World Series Game 6 – 2019-10-29

Innning	Result
1	Howie Kendrick pops out to second baseman Jose Altuve.
4	Howie Kendrick singles on a line drive to left fielder Michael Brantley.
5	Howie Kendrick flies out to right fielder Josh Reddick in foul territory.
8	Howie Kendrick grounds out, third baseman Alex Bregman to first baseman Yuli Gurriel.

World Series Game 7 – 2019-10-30

Innning	Result
2	Howie Kendrick grounds into a double play, pitcher Zack Greinke to second baseman Jose Altuve to first baseman Yuli Gurriel. Juan Soto out at 2nd. Howie Kendrick out at 1st.
5	Howie Kendrick walks.
7	Howie Kendrick homers (1) on a fly ball to right field. Juan Soto scores.
8	Howie Kendrick singles on a line drive to right fielder George Springer, deflected by first baseman Yuli Gurriel. Juan Soto to 3rd.