Longtime third baseman Evan Longoria reportedly wanted to play for a contender as he gets set for his 16th season in Major League Baseball.
The veteran won’t get that opportunity, but he’ll get perhaps the next best thing.
Longoria, who resides in Scottsdale, Ariz., will stay close to home after signing a one-year deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks, the New York Post’s Jon Heyman reported Friday. Longoria’s contract is worth a modest $4 million with $1 million in incentives, per the Arizona Republic’s Nick Piecoro.
At 37 years old, Longoria is a far ways away from the height of his powers, but he is still a serviceable right-handed hitter and can bring plenty of experience to a youthful Diamondbacks squad. Arizona has posted an under .500 record in each of the last three seasons, including a deplorable 52-110 mark in 2021.
Longoria’s taken a step back during his five seasons with the San Francisco Giants after being a three-time All-Star with the Tampa Bay Rays at the outset of his career. Longoria played in just 89 games last season in which he batted .244 with 14 home runs and 42 RBIs.
If Longoria can stay healthy, he might have something left in the tank that will be useful to the Diamondbacks. In 2019 — the last time he played over 100 games in a season — Longoria belted 20 round-trippers.
Maybe some pop remains in the bat of Longoria as Arizona tries to work its way up the gauntlet that is the National League West.
At the very least, Longoria should be able to serve as a mentor with the Diamondbacks trying to integrate some of their top prospects in 2023.
