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Kevin Pillar, who played for the Toronto Blue Jays, New York Mets, Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Angels, San Francisco Giants, Chicago White Sox and Colorado Rockies during a 12-year major league career, said in July he was 98 percent sure he would make this season his last.
The 2 percent won out.
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Monday, Pillar told MLB Network’s “Hot Stove” that he did not plan to retire after all, and hopes to sign a contract for 2025.
Harry How/Getty Images
Pillar, 35, was claimed by the Angels off waivers from the White Sox early in the 2024 season. Despite his struggles in Chicago (a .160/.290/.360 slash line in 17 games) he finished with a more respectable .236/.291/.378 batting line over 83 games in Anaheim.
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Known more for his defense and versatility in the outfield, Pillar acknowledged that his desire to spend more time with his family could tilt the scales in favor of retirement.
“I’ve just had some time to reflect…I still enjoy doing it. I’m pretty sure I still want to play.”
Kevin Pillar shares he is keeping the door open to play next season and will be in Dallas for the Winter Meetings. pic.twitter.com/OwJVaMVAPK
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) December 2, 2024
“The business side of baseball, it can be a lot sometimes,” he said Monday. “Getting released early in the year by the White Sox, not really certain what my future was going to be, I was just really thankful to be picked up by a hometown team in the Angels. I was able to find some success. I was playing for the love of the game, the joy of the game … and I found a lot of success in that.”
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“Even going up toward the end of the season, I though it was going to be my last year. I thought I was going to retire,” Pillar said. “Unfortunately I had a thumb injury — I had thumb surgery right at the beginning of the offseason — and I’ve just had some time to reflect. I still enjoy doing it. I’m pretty sure I still want to play. I’m still keeping myself in shape, and I’m going to be attending to be attending the Winter Meetings since I’m moving to Dallas, the Dallas area, and just kind of see what’s up.”
In 1,214 major league games, Pillar has hit .255 with a .293 on-base percentage and .406 slugging percentage. He’s hit 114 home runs, driven in 468 runs, and stolen 108 bases in his career.
A native of West Hills, California, Pillar achieved 10 years of major league service time in 2024 — and the fully vested pension that comes with it.
For more MLB news, visit Newsweek Sports.
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