Curtis Granderson, former Mets and Yankees outfielder, retires from baseball

In his 16-season playing career that ended Friday, one of Curtis Granderson’s greatest feats was rarer than hitting 40 homers in a season, which he did twice, or going to the All-Star Game, which he did three times, or winning a World Series, which he never did.

Granderson perhaps tops the short list of big-leaguers who were generally beloved by Mets and Yankees fans.

He spent nearly half of his career on teams in New York City, playing four seasons in the Bronx and almost four in Queens (including the Mets’ run to the 2015 World Series).

“A lot of people I’ve met in New York,” Granderson said at his December 2013 Mets introductory news conference, “have always said that true New Yorkers are Mets fans.”

The only club with which Granderson had a longer career was the Tigers, for whom he played in the majors from 2004-09 after being drafted by Detroit in 2002.

After the Mets traded him in August 2017, Granderson — who will turn 39 in March — moved into the journeyman portion of his career, playing for the Dodgers, Blue Jays, Brewers and Marlins in a span of two-plus seasons.

Granderson’s totals are impressive: 2,057 games, 1,800 hits, 344 homers, 937 RBIs and an above-average slash line of .249/.337/.465.

In announcing his retirement Friday via a statement posted to his social media accounts, Granderson said little had changed “since those early days in Little League” in his Chicago-area hometown.

“My parents and family are still my greatest fans,” he wrote, “and they impart the same message today that they did back then: give back, never forget to enjoy the ride, and don’t think; have fun.”

Granderson is done as a player, but virtually nobody believes he is done with baseball. He won the Roberto Clemente Award, the sport’s top philanthropic honor, in 2016 and four times was named the Marvin Miller Man of the Year, an honor given by the MLB Players Association and voted on by major-leaguers for an individual’s on-field performance and off-field contributions.

Since 2007, when he started his charity, the Grand Kids Foundation, Granderson has worked to “aid positive youth development through education, physical fitness and nutrition initiatives” in underserved communities, according to the organization’s website. That includes introducing more than 1 million kids to baseball and providing 17.5 million meals to families in need, according to the MLBPA.

“As I close out this wonderful chapter in my life and step away from my days on the field, I know that my role in his game is only just getting started,” Granderson wrote. “I look forward to continuing my work helping to diversify the sport, paving the way for young kids to learn and grow.

“Thank you — to the MLB, MLBPA, my teammates and coaches, front office staff, members of the media, partners, and the fans — for the ride of a lifetime.

“This journey would not be possible without those who came before me, breaking barriers to allow a young Curtis Granderson to live out his dream. It’s been an honor to wear my socks high.”