FORT MYERS, Fla. -- After 19 seasons in the majors -- 17 of them with the Boston Red Sox -- knuckleballer Tim Wakefield announced his retirement from baseball Friday afternoon.

"This has been the hardest thing I've ever had to do, so it's with a heavy heart that I stand here today," Wakefield said, pausing to regain his composure. "And I'm saddened to say that I have decided to retire from this wonderful game of baseball."

Wakefield's announcement came at a 5 p.m. ET news conference at JetBlue Park, the team's new spring training facility.

"I'm very grateful I've been able to put this uniform on for such a long time and to win two World Series for this great city and I can finally say it's over," the 45-year-old said.

Wakefield walks away with 186 victories with the Red Sox, just six short of the team record shared by Cy Young and Roger Clemens. He recorded his 200th career victory late last season.

"It's a little surreal for me, still," Wakefield said of his achievements. "Once I get home and start to digest everything, it's pretty cool to have your name up there, but that doesn't change who I am as a person, or as a man and I'm grateful I've had the opportunity to achieve a lot of those goals and be high on the list of a lot of those records. Hopefully one day they can be broken because that's what records are for."

Wakefield had said toward the end of last season that he wanted to return for his 18th season with the Red Sox, but as the winter wore on it became clear he was not in Boston's plans.

"I never wanted to pitch for another team," Wakefield said Friday. "I've always said I wanted to retire a Red Sox and today I'm able to do that."

The team extended him an invitation to spring training but did not guarantee him a roster spot. Had Wakefield accepted, he likely would have competed for the fifth spot in the rotation.

The Red Sox extended a similar invitation to captain Jason Varitek, who has spent the past 15 years with the team. It remains unclear whether the soon-to-be-40-year-old catcher will take them up on the invitation, sign elsewhere or retire.

"I've talked to him a little bit, but it's a decision that has to be made on your own," Wakefield said of Varitek. "It's nothing that he said, or I said to him, or whatever," Wakefield said. "It really comes down to taking a deep, hard look at where your life is at this point. For me, it was the right decision to make. For him, I don't know. If he decides to come back and play, great. If he doesn't that's great, too, because he's one true champion and I'm proud to be able to say I was his teammate for 15 years."

Wakefield, at times misty-eyed as he thanked coaches, teammates, fans and family, seemed at peace with his own decision to hang up his spikes. Nonetheless, he admitted he'd consider a midseason comeback if a desperate Red Sox GM Ben Cherington were to call.

"I have to digest a lot of stuff right now, so I can't answer that question honestly, but more than likely, probably."

Ever the team player, an emotional Tim Wakefield announced his retirement Friday, deeming it the best course for the Red Sox as well as for his family. AP Photo/David Goldman

Wakefield, who finished last season with a 7-8 record and a 5.12 ERA in 23 starts, won only one of his last 10 starts, the bullpen failing to hold several leads. When the Red Sox desperately needed someone in September to step up and pitch a big game, Wakefield gave up five or more runs in each of his last four starts, lasting five or fewer innings in three of them.

Wakefield said he had a difficult time reaching the decision to call it quits.

"I've been wrestling with this decision for a long time this whole offseason," he said Friday. "I think the final deciding point is when [wife] Stacy and I sat my two kids down and asked them kind of what they wanted me to do. Like I said before, I never wanted to regret missing any part of their lives and I just think the time is now."

Wakefield said he hasn't made any plans beyond spending more time with his family.

"I don't know. I'm honored. Really honored that the Red Sox have asked me to possible be on the board of the Red Sox Foundation and do some stuff on their charitable works that they are so passionate about," he said. "Then also the Jimmy Fund has asked me to be a part of their organization, as well. I'm still weighing all those options right now.

"I just wanted to get through this day. I haven't slept all week, but I'm not going to make a decision anytime soon. But I'm very honored that those two wonderful foundations and organizations have asked me to be a part of them."

To Red Sox catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Wakefield's retirement "kind of feels right."

"He definitely had plenty left in him. I think he definitely could have played a couple more years," Saltalamacchia said Friday. "He's at a time of his life where family is important, the kids are getting older, and he's accomplished everything anybody wanted to accomplish in this game. It seems right, after 200 wins last year, getting to that, to being with family now."

Saltalamacchia lauded Wakefield for his professionalism, friendship and humility. He also dismissed the suggestion that Wakefield's prolonged quest to nail down his 200th win and set the club record for wins became a distraction for either Wakefield or the team.

"Not at all, not one bit," the catcher said. "He was a guy in the dugout every day, the same exact guy every single day. I think I probably got away from what was going on because I wanted it as bad as him. He's a humble guy.