After completing his 16th season in Major League Baseball last year, Evan Longoria felt it was time to move on. Spending quality time with his family during the offseason solidified that decision for him.
Recently, Longoria threw a ceremonial pitch wearing his first team’s jersey, the Tampa Bay Rays, before their game against the Cleveland Guardians on Saturday.
When asked if he had any desire to return to playing, Longoria straightforwardly responded, “No.” He explained, “I waited long enough to know that I was done. Over the last couple of years, it has become clearer to me. Making it to the World Series last year with Arizona made my decision to retire easier.”
Although Longoria hasn’t formally filed his retirement papers, he jokingly mentioned one scenario that could bring him back: “One of the few things I haven’t accomplished is winning the World Series.
If you told me I’d hit .080 for the rest of the season, but the team would win the World Series, I’d do it.”
Longoria spent his first decade in MLB with the Tampa Bay Rays, where he earned All-Star honors in his first three seasons. Despite reaching the World Series in 2008 at the age of 23, the Rays didn’t advance past the AL Division Series during his tenure.
Last season, at 38 years old, Longoria became the first position player in MLB history to appear in a World Series 15 years after his initial Fall Classic appearance, achieved with Arizona. Only three pitchers, including Dennis Martinez in 1995 with Cleveland, have matched this feat.
Reflecting on his career, Longoria, who was an All-Star and Rookie of the Year in 2008 when the Rays won the AL pennant, expressed a desire to remain involved in baseball moving forward.
