Brad Lidge, the closer who seemingly became a postseason fixture over 11 seasons with the Houston Astros and Philadelphia Phillies, is retiring.

Nothing formal. No big send-off. He’s simply informed his agents, Rex Gary and Jim Turner, that after spending time at home with his family while rehabbing from yet another injury last summer, he’s decided that he wants more family time and less clubhouse time.

Lidge, 35, retires with 225 career saves, 37th on baseball’s all-time list.

In 603 career appearances, he was 26-32 with a 3.54 ERA and an eye-popping 11.9 stikeouts per nine innings.

When Lidge and his moving four-seam fastball and filthy slider were on in his prime, he was as unhittable as any pitcher in the game.

The two-time All-Star probably is best-known for two moments in particular that succinctly illustrate the extreme highs and extreme lows in the life of a closer.

The first came during Game 5 of the 2005 NL Championship Series when, with the Astros on the verge of clinching a World Series berth at home, he served up a three-run homer to the Cardinals’ Albert Pujols that sent the NLCS back to St. Louis for Game 6. Bleak as it made things look at the time, the Astros bounced back to win Game 6 and advance to their only World Series appearance.

The second came during Game 5 of the 2008 World Series, when he blew away the Rays’ Eric Hinske to collect the save in only the Phillies’ second World Series title.

Lidge was a perfect seven for seven in save opportunities for the Phillies during that ’08 postseason after going 41 for 41 in save ops during the regular season, capping a dream debut summer in Philadelphia.

Following an unusually poor season in 2009 (0-8, nine blown saves), Lidge underwent elbow surgery in January, 2010. But he was never the same pitcher. He signed with the Nationals before the 2012 season as insurance behind closer Drew Storen but missed a month-and-a-half with an abdominal injury and subsequently was released in June.

Nobody knew it at the time, including Lidge himself. But it turned out that was the end of the line for one of the finest closers of his era.

Now, he can focus on family, old-timers' games and, who knows ... maybe we'll even see him in the crowd on Jan. 7 watching his alma mater play for a football national championship.

From Notre Dame on through, Lidge always did play like a champion today.