Yankees' Pettitte To Retire For Second Time

With nothing left to give, New York Yankees left-hander Andy Pettitte will retire from baseball for a second time at the end of the season.

The 41-year-old Pettitte, who is MLB's all-time leader in playoff wins, is scheduled to pitch his last home game against the San Francisco Giants on Sunday and will likely start his final game next weekend in Houston, his hometown.

"I've reached the point where I know that I've left everything I have out there on that field," Pettitte, who has a 10-10 record this season, said in a statement released by the Yankees. "The time is right. I've exhausted myself, mentally and physically, and that's exactly how I want to leave this game."

The three-time All-Star won 19 postseason games and was a key member of five World Series-winning teams with the Yankees. He also ranks first all-time in postseason starts (44) and innings pitched (276 2/3), and is second with 183 strikeouts.

Pettitte has a 255-152 career record with a 3.86 earned run average in 529 appearances (519 starts) with the Yankees (1995-2003, 2007-10 and 2012-13) and Houston Astros (2004-06).

His 218 wins with the Yankees rank third with the team, trailing only Hall of Famers Whitey Ford (236) and Red Ruffing (231).

Pettitte originally retired in February 2011 but decided the next season to return to the Yankees.

His home start on Sunday comes on the same day longtime teammate Mariano Rivera, MLB's all time saves leader who is also retiring at the end of the current season, is being honored at Yankee Stadium

"One of the things I struggled with in making this announcement now was doing anything to take away from Mariano's day on Sunday," said Pettitte.

"It is his day. He means so much to me, and has meant so much to my career that I would just hate to somehow take the attention away from him."

(Reporting by Gene Cherry in Raleigh, North Carolina; Editing by Frank Pingue)