Canada's Justin Morneau, 2006 AL MVP, retires from baseball

Justin Morneau, the 2006 AL MVP and Minnesota Twins first baseman whose career was derailed by concussion symptoms, is retiring after 1,603 hits and 247 home runs in 14 major league seasons.

The Twins confirmed Morneau's retirement on Monday. They scheduled a news conference with Morneau and team officials for Wednesday.

Morneau, from New Westminster, B.C., didn't play in 2017. He appeared in 58 games for the Chicago White Sox in 2016.

After the Twins drafted the Canadian in 1999, Morneau became a four-time all-star. His MVP-calibre performance in 2010 was halted by a knee to the head he took during a slide that cost him half of that season. He produced one more strong year, winning an NL batting title with the Colorado Rockies in 2014.