Third baseman Evan Longoria will ink a final contract with Tampa Bay on June 7, closing out 16 years in baseball. The send-off takes place at Steinbrenner Field right before the Miami matchup.
"Evan Longoria's place in Rays history is unmatched," said Erik Neander, president of baseball operations, in a statement to The Associated Press. "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."
His decade in Tampa Bay from 2008-2017 set club marks that still stand today. He smashed 261 homers, drove 892 runs, and crossed home plate 780 times in 1,435 games. Through stints with Tampa Bay, San Francisco, and Arizona, he collected 1,930 hits, blasted 342 homers, and pushed 1,159 runners across the plate.
"I want to come back home, essentially," said Longoria to the Tampa Bay Times. "I just always kind of felt like I owed it to the Rays fans who supported me all those years to come back and do some sort of announcement with the Rays."
His first year earned him AL Rookie honors in 2008. He went on to snag three All-Star spots and three Gold Gloves while wearing Tampa Bay colors. The peak came in 2011 — his walk-off blast in game 162 sent the team straight to October baseball.
"He, more than anyone, helped transform the Devil Rays into the Rays," said Stuart Sternberg, Rays owner, in a statement to MLB.com. "We are honored to welcome him home as he retires in the uniform where it all began."
