MLB Star Evan Longoria To Sign 1-Day Contract To Retire With Tampa Bay Rays

TAMPA BAY, FL — Third-baseman Evan Longoria is retiring after 16 seasons with Major League Baseball — and he’ll sign a one-day contract to retire with his former team, the Tampa Bay Rays, to do so.

He’ll officially retire as a Ray on June 7 during a pre-game ceremony honoring his legacy with the team before Tampa Bay’s game against the Marlins at George M. Steinbrenner Field.

“Cue the violins. Longo returns on June 7 to officially retire as a Tampa Bay Ray,” the team posted to X, formerly Twitter.

“Tampa always felt like my home. The three places that I played, obviously played the longest there, and it's really always felt like the place that I should retire,” Longoria told MLB.com. “Especially with not ever really having the opportunity to come back as a player, as an opposing player, it just seemed like this is the best way for closure.”

A third-round draft pick for what was then called the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 2006, he played for the team from 2008 to 2017.

Longoria 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), Fox Sports said.

"Evan Longoria's place in Rays history is unmatched," president of baseball operations Erik Neander said in a statement to ESPN. "Evan leaves the game as our all-time leader in nearly every major offensive category. He not only defined an era of Rays baseball -- he helped put us on the map. His impact, both on and off the field, laid the foundation for our success, and it's a privilege to celebrate his legacy."

During his career, he was a three-time All-Star selection, won three Gold Gloves and a Silver Slugger Award, and took home the 2008 American League Rookie of the Year honors.

The Rays traded Longoria to the Giants at the end of the 2017 season, and he played five seasons in San Francisco. Then, he spent the 2023 season with the Arizona Diamondbacks. He sat out last season without officially retiring, the Tampa Bay Times said.