Evan Longoria Undecided On Future

Longoria's Impressive Career with the Tampa Bay Rays

Evan Longoria, a veteran third baseman, is currently weighing his options for the 2024 season, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. This news comes after reports in October suggested that Longoria was leaning towards playing in 2024.

Longoria has been a prominent figure in the Major League Baseball (MLB) for 16 seasons. He was drafted third overall in the 2006 draft by the then-Devil Rays and quickly rose to prominence, earning All-Star selections in his first three seasons. During this time, he showcased his remarkable skills with a .283/.361/.521 slash line, earning MVP votes, Gold Glove awards, a Silver Slugger award, and the 2008 Rookie of the Year award. Longoria spent a decade as the face of the Tampa Bay Rays, playing in 1,435 games and boasting a .270/.341/.483 slash line while excelling defensively at third base.

Transition to San Francisco and Recent Performance

However, Longoria's production declined after being traded to the San Francisco Giants before the 2018 season. His batting average during his five seasons with the Giants was a decent .251/.312/.438, which was a significant drop from his earlier star-level performance. Additionally, he began experiencing more frequent injuries, preventing him from playing consistently. Longoria never played more than 129 games in a single season and only surpassed 100 games twice during his time with the Giants.

Last season, Longoria left the Giants and joined the Diamondbacks through free agency. Despite playing in a part-time role with Arizona, Longoria displayed impressive power, hitting 11 home runs in just 74 games while maintaining a .223/.295/.422 slash line. It's worth noting that his performance in the first four months of the season was considerably stronger, hitting .238/.303/.500 with 30 extra base hits in 178 plate appearances. Unfortunately, Longoria suffered a lower back strain in July, which significantly impacted his performance upon his return.

Possible Future and Potential Suitors

Considering Longoria's age and injury history, his struggles in the late part of the season should be taken into account. However, his overall performance throughout the season would be an improvement for many teams, especially since he is open to accepting a part-time role.

From Longoria's perspective, returning for another season holds appeal. He is just 70 hits away from reaching the 2,000 hit milestone and needs only eight more home runs to become the 100th player in MLB history to hit 350 home runs in his career.

Although there have been no public connections between Longoria and specific teams, there are a few clubs that could benefit from his services. The New York Mets recently lost infield prospect Ronny Mauricio due to an injury, making Longoria a potential mentor and right-handed complement to Brett Baty at third base. The Chicago Cubs, on the other hand, have no established third baseman and could utilize Longoria alongside other internal options like Nick Madrigal and Miles Mastrobuoni.