Evan Longoria is going to retire from baseball, and he will say his goodbye in the uniform of the Tampa Bay Rays. Longoria has had a 16-year career in the Major Leagues, and the first 10 of those seasons were with the Rays. He became the first recognizable star the franchise had, and he played a key role in the team winning the 2008 American League pennant.

Longoria is scheduled to sign a one-day contract with the Rays June 7 and then retire from baseball. Longoria's finals with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2023, and he concluded the active portion of his career in the 2023 World Series against the Texas Rangers. The Diamondbacks lost that World Series in five games.

Longoria did not play in the 2024 season and he had conversations with the Rays about retiring with that team. However, plans were delayed after Tropicana Field was damaged severely in Hurricane Milton. Once the team made plans to play the 2025 season at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Longoria and the Rays were able to finalize retirement arrangements.

Longoria feels a kinship to the team and the Tampa area. “Tampa always felt like my home,” Longoria said, per Adam Berry of MLB.com. “The three places (Tampa Bay, San Francisco and Arizona) that I played, obviously played the longest there, and it's really always felt like the place that I should retire. 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.”

Rays will likely retire Longoria's number

Los Angeles Angels manager Joe Maddon reacts during the game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Angel Stadium.
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Longoria wore the No. 3 on his uniform while he was with the Rays, and after he was traded to the San Francisco Giants in 2017, no other Rays player has ever worn that number on his uniform. It seems almost certain that the uniform number will be retired by the team.

Tampa Bay principal owner Stuart Sternberg paid tribute to Longoria.

“Evan Longoria embodies what it means to be a Tampa Bay Ray. From the moment he stepped on the field, he brought excellence, leadership and a competitive spirit that shaped the identity of this franchise,”  Sternberg said in a statement. “He, more than anyone, helped transform the Devil Rays into the Rays, and we are honored to welcome him home as he retires in the uniform where it all began.”

Longoria was a three-time American League All-Star while playing under former Rays manager Joe Maddon. He was also a three-time Gold Glove winner. He had his best season in 2009 when he slashed .281/.364/.526 with 33 home runs and 113 runs batted in.