Kerry Wood wanted to make one final appearance at Wrigley Field this afternoon before announcing his retirement and it couldn’t have been scripted much better for the longtime Cub.
Wood came into a 3-2 game with one out in the eighth inning and struck out Dayan Viciedo on three pitches, the first of which was a 95-mph fastball and the last of which was a 76-mph breaking ball in the dirt that the White Sox outfielder couldn’t help but swing through.
It was pretty close to vintage Wood, or at least close enough that it was tough not to think “wait, this guy is retiring?!”
Wood, who shook the bullpen coach’s hand before coming into the game, was removed after fittingly finishing his career with a strikeout and tipped his cap to the fans giving him a standing ovation. And then his young son ran onto the field to give him a hug.
Helluva scene for a helluva career.
UPDATE: Here’s the MLB.com video of Wood’s final appearance and dramatic exit.
