Above the statue of Willie Mays in front of Oracle Park, a mesh banner that says “Thank You Buster” hangs.
Buster Posey, the three-time World Series champion, retired after one of the most productive seasons of his legendary career. And for it, he earned his second National League Comeback Player of the Year award.
Posey opted out of the 2020 season to spend time with his family. He returned to the Giants to lead SF to a franchise-record 107 wins.
The 34-year-old catcher hit .304 with a .889 OPS. He slugged 13 home runs in the regular season, plus a towering near-splash hit to open the NLDS. He was also an All-Star and won a Silver Slugger award.
Posey first won Comeback Player of the Year in 2012, when he returned from a gruesome ankle injury that resulted from a collision at the plate. He also won the NL Most Valuable Player award and his second World Series title that year.
This resurgence was different. The award may be the last one Posey earns until a potential bronze plaque in Cooperstown, but it signals that he left the game on top.