BOSTON -- Hall of Fame pitcher Dennis Eckersley said Monday he will be leaving the Boston Red Sox broadcasts at the end of the season, his 50th in major league baseball.

Eckersley, who was drafted by Cleveland as a California high schooler in 1972, went on to pitch 24 seasons for Cleveland, Boston, the Cubs, Oakland and St. Louis, becoming both a 20-win starter in 1978 and a 50-save reliever in 1992. He won the AL Cy Young and MVP awards in 1992 while playing for the Athletics.

He joined NESN in 2003 and stood out for his outspoken and colorful analysis on the Red Sox broadcasts.

"After 50 years in Major League Baseball, I am excited about this next chapter of my life," Eckersley said. "I will continue to be an ambassador for the club and a proud member of Red Sox Nation, while transitioning to life after baseball alongside my wife Jennifer, my children and my grandchildren."

Eckersley, 67, was a six-time All-Star who went 197-171 with a 3.50 ERA in a career in which he pitched 100 complete games as a starter before pioneering the role of the one-inning closer and earning 390 saves.