TAMPA, Fla. – Evan Longoria will sign a one-day contract with the Tampa Bay Rays and officially retire as a member of the team on June 7.
The most prominent player in the history of the franchise did not play last season after spending 2023 in Arizona, but never officially retired.
Now he will do it with the team where he built his illustrious career.
Evan Longoria’s place in Rays history is unmatched. Evan leaves the game as our all-time leader in almost every major offensive category. He not only defined an era of Rays baseball, but he also helped put us on the map.
Erik Neander, President of Baseball Operations
The third baseman was selected with the third overall pick in the 2006 draft and shined for the Rays from 2008 to 2017. He is the team’s all-time leader in WAR (51.7), games played (1,435), home runs (261), RBIs (892), runs (780), extra-base hits (618), and walks (569).
He was the American League Rookie of the Year in 2008, a three-time All-Star, and won Gold Gloves in 2009, 2010, and 2017. Longoria finished sixth in the American League MVP voting in both 2010 and 2013 and won a Silver Slugger Award in 2009.
Longoria’s image was converted into a statue placed outside Gate 4 at Tropicana Field to represent his home run celebration in the 12th inning of the last regular season game of 2011 that sent the Rays to the postseason.
He was traded to San Francisco in December 2017 and played five seasons for the Giants before finishing his career with the Diamondbacks.
The 39-year-old player will be honored in a pre-game ceremony at Steinbrenner Field before the Tampa Bay game against the Miami Marlins.
