Matt Stairs has decided to retire. Stairs was released by the Nationals earlier this week after batting just .154/.257/.169 with no home runs and only two RBI in 74 plate appearances. The 43-year-old native of Canada will hang up his cleats having slugged 265 career home runs over 19 major league seasons.

Nationals released 1B Matt Stairs. Stairs was designated for assignment last week after batting just .153 with zero home runs in 65 at-bats for the Nationals. The 43-year-old seems likely to retire.

Nationals designated 1B Matt Stairs for assignment. He was cleared to make room for the newly-acquired Jonny Gomes on the active roster. Stairs, 43, batted just .153 (10-for-65) with zero homers as a member of the Nationals. He could make some sense for a contender off the bench, but it's possible his career could finally be over.

Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post thinks Matt Stairs could be released in order to free up a roster spot for the newly acquired Jonny Gomes. It's the logical move, as Stairs is a waste of a bench spot right now, sporting a .154/.257/.169 batting line while going just 6-for-39 with no extra-base hits as a pinch-hitter. It could be the end of the line for the 43-year-old if he is in fact cut loose.

Matt Stairs went 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI Tuesday in the Nationals' 11-5 setback to the Angels. It was Stairs' first RBI of the season, requiring 48 at-bats to reach the inauspicious mark. It also was his first multi-hit effort since May 10, 2009 -- a span of 210 games. In fairness, the 43-year-old was a one-and-done pinch-hitter in most of those contests. In other words, we probably have just witnessed the last multi-hit game of Stairs' career.