Jim Leyland stepped down as Tigers manager Monday. The 68-year-old said he isn’t retiring from baseball, though.

Leyland leaves after ALCS loss

Jim Leyland has stepped down as Tigers manager.

The 68-year-old World Series champion made the announcement Monday, two days after his Tigers were eliminated from the postseason. Leyland said he made the decision back in September.

“What’s gone on here has been unbelievable,” Leyland told reporters. “We’ve won a lot of games, we’ve had a lot of seats filled. I came here to make a talented team, and I think we did that.”

The Tigers enjoyed sustained success under Leyland, finishing under .500 only once in his eight seasons in Detroit. He retires with a career record of 1,769-1,728 during stints with the Tigers, Pirates, Marlins and Rockies.

Leyland, known for smoking cigarettes in the dugout, made it clear that he wasn’t retiring from baseball.

“I’m not totally retiring today, I just don’t want to be in the dugout anymore,” he said.