The longtime Tampa Bay Rays and San Francisco Giants third baseman is all but officially retired. Evan Longoria hasn’t signed a new contract since helping the Arizona Diamondbacks reach the World Series. He hasn’t filed any retirement paperwork either. Longoria did, however, tell Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times that while not officially retired, he’s unlikely to continue playing.
“I waited long enough to know that I was done,” Longoria said to Topkin. He did explain some of the physical and mental toll his 16-year career took during the final seasons. “…And then, being able to go to the World Series, have the experience that I had, it made a pretty easy decision for me going into the offseason.”
Evan Longoria Unlikely to Play
In 10 seasons with the Rays, the 38-year-old owns many franchise records. He is the all-time leader in games played (1,435), home runs (261), RBI (892), runs (780) and total bases (2,630). He was an All-Star the first three seasons with the Rays, who after going to the 2008 World Series, never made it past the AL Division Series again while he was there. Longoria became the first position player in MLB history to appear in a World Series 15 years after first playing in the Fall Classic last season with Arizona. Dennis Martinez was the last player to do it in 1995 with Cleveland.
When the Rays won the AL pennant in 2008, Longoria was an All-Star and Rookie of the Year.
There is one situation that would bring him back. He’d at least consider if he wanted one more run at a World Series ring.
“I feel like one of the only things I haven’t accomplished is winning the World Series,” Longoria said. “If you said I would go hit .080 for the rest of the season, but the team would win the World Series and then I’d go for it.”
Longoria’s career batting line is .264/.333/.471 with 1,930 hits, 342 RBI and 1,159 RBI in 1,986 games. He won three Gold Gloves and won one Silver Slugger Award.
Main Photo: © Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK
