We’ve known for some time that Colorado Rockies outfielder Brad Hawpe could be leaving the team, and not on his own accord. The big hitter was an All-Star last year and has been a central player in the team’s marketing efforts, as well as a fan favorite, for years.

But that era is over.

Hawpe was told yesterday, before the Rockies’ 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers, that it would be his last day on the team.

“There is nothing you can do,” Hawpe tells MLB.com. “You have a job to do, and you just do it until you’re told not to.”

Hawpe has played his entire career with the Colorado Rockies organization, after being drafted in 2000, piling up 749 hits, 118 home runs, and a career .280 batting average.

“He has been a very special player for this organization,” says manager Jim Tracy (via The Denver Post). “It’s difficult to even talk about, given the respect I have for Brad. I am dealing with a player that understands what is going on and what has to take place.”

The Texas Rangers, Chicago White Sox, and Boston Red Sox have expressed interest in Hawpe. His release paves the way for more playing time for younger players like Seth Smith and Eric Young Jr., and it also creates a roster spot for the team to add another relief pitcher.