Sosa Will Probably Retire Soon

Sammy Sosa probably will retire after rejecting an offer from the Washington Nationals.

“It’s more than likely we have seen him in a uniform for the last time,” Sosa’s agent, Adam Katz, said Wednesday.

The 37-year-old outfielder ranks fifth on the career home run list with 588 but batted .221 with 14 homers and 45 runs batted in last year in his only season with the Baltimore Orioles.

Washington offered Sosa a non-guaranteed contract that would have included performance bonus opportunities.

“It wasn’t about the money and it wasn’t about No. 600,” Katz said. “It was a function of Sammy’s expectation of his own performance. He didn’t want to go out there and underperform like he did last year because it was just too painful for him, and it’s just something he doesn’t want to go through again.”

Sosa is not likely to play for the Dominican Republic in next month’s World Baseball Classic.

“The inclination is not to, but it’s unresolved,” Katz said.

With baseball mired in accusations that star players used steroids, Sosa was among the players called to testify before a congressional committee last March.

*

Pitcher Tomo Ohka agreed to a one-year, $4.53-million deal with Milwaukee, avoiding an arbitration hearing.... Pitcher Kyle Lohse beat the Minnesota Twins in arbitration and will make $3.95 million rather than the $3.4 million the team offered.... Pitcher Rodrigo Lopez lost an arbitration hearing to the Orioles and will get $3.75 million rather the $4.5 million he asked for.