His impending retirement from professional baseball was announced prior to the upcoming 2022-2023 winter season of the Mexican Pacific League.

On July 9, 2010, Lueke was traded to the Seattle Mariners along with Justin Smoak and fellow prospects Matt Lawson and Blake Beavan for Cliff Lee and Mark Lowe.

[2] On November 27, 2011, Lueke and a player to be named later were traded to the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for John Jaso.

On January 13, 2022, Lueke signed with the Algodoneros de Unión Laguna of the Mexican League for the 2022 season.

Lueke informed Algodoneros general manager Francisco "Chipper" Méndez that he was to retire following the winter season of the Mexican Pacific League.

During the investigation Lueke lied to the police by denying he had sexual contact with the victim (an assertion proven false by DNA testing), and he pleaded no contest to lesser charges of false imprisonment with violence and was sentenced to 42 days in jail, time served prior to making bail.

[12] An additional 20 days were discounted due to good behavior and Lueke received three years of felony probation.

[14] Up to that point, the Mariners organization had a long history of supporting groups who oppose violence against women, running a campaign called "Refuse to Abuse"[15] and had previously suspended and traded reliever Julio Mateo, who was accused of beating his wife.