It was amore. But now, it has come to an end.
On Saturday, former Pirates catcher Francisco Cervelli announced on Instagram that he was retiring from the game, starting the post with a simple but definitive, "It's time!!"
Cervelli's post is in Spanish. Translated, his reason to retire reads: "I am retiring because the time has come to put my health before how much I enjoy this game. For a long time I fought my bruises because I thought that baseball was my life. And in a sense it will always be. But it is clear that my life is broader than baseball. And I must think first of myself, also my family, my own mental and physical well-being and what is to come. This is why I made this decision. It's time."
Cervelli is currently on the 45-day injured list after suffering his seventh known concussion. He has been left off the Marlins' playoff roster.
Cervelli spent 13 years in the majors, batting .268 with 41 home runs and 275 RBIs, while also being regarded as one of the best pitch framers in the game. He won a World Series in 2009 with the Yankees.
The Pirates acquired Cervelli before the 2015 season, and he spent five years as the club's primary catcher. Tasked with replacing the beloved Russell Martin that year, Cervelli was arguably the game's best catcher that year, finsihing in a virtual tie with Andrew McCutchen for the most valuable player on the Pirates' 98 win team with 5.9 fWAR.
He signed a three-year contract extension that ran from 2017-2019 during the 2016 season, though that run was filled with injuries, primarily concussions. He missed most of the 2019 season with a concussion, and was ultimately released in August after it became clear he would not receive much time as a catcher when he did return. He signed with the Braves for the remainder of that season, and then with the Marlins for 2020.
He played 16 games with the Marlins before a seventh concussion ended his season.
The Marlins have advanced to the National League Division Series, so there is a chance Cervelli will go out a champion. Even if he doesn't, it appears he has no regrets.
"People ask me if it was worth all the blood, sweat and tears," Cervelli wrote in his goodbye post. "Of course it was and is worth it! Because baseball was, is and will be one of my great loves.That's amore!"