Eric Hosmer, the former first baseman and All-Star, just dropped a bombshell on Wednesday – he"s hanging up his cleats and retiring from MLB. After an impressive 13-year run, Hosmer is calling it quits at the ripe age of 35.
The announcement didn"t come through a press release or a fancy interview – nope, Eric spilled the beans on his podcast, Diggin" Deep.
Excited to take on this new challenge, MoonBall Media, and our first project, The Diggin’ Deep Podcast. The playing days are unfortunately over but I’m committed to giving back to the baseball community that helped shaped my life. Episode 1 live now. https://t.co/EjfJjgb5aJ pic.twitter.com/PlcX5h4fXc
— Eric Hosmer (@TheRealHos305) February 21, 2024
Eric Hosmer MLB Career
The Kansas City Royals snagged him with the third overall pick in the 2008 MLB draft. Hosmer worked his way up from the minors and finally hit the big leagues in 2011. He finished third in the Rookie of the Year race that year, batting .293 with 19 homers in 128 games.
Hosmer wasn"t just a slugger; he had the moves in the field too. Gold Glove Awards were practically his yearly subscription from 2013 to 2015 and then again in 2017. Oh, and in 2017, he also added a Silver Slugger Award to his trophy collection. MVP of the 2016 MLB All-Star Game? Check. Member of the 2015 World Series champion Royals? Double check.
Post-2017, he hit free agency and landed an eight-year deal with the Padres. But as the baseball wheel turns, he found himself in a Red Sox uniform during the 2022 season, courtesy of a trade. The Red Sox let him go after the season, and Hosmer found a new home with the Cubs, signing a one-year deal for the 2023 season.
Eric Hosmer Career Statistics
Eric Hosmer Contract Details
2008-2008 Signing Bonus:
-
- Contract: 1 yr(s) / $6,000,000
- Signing Bonus: $6,000,000
- Average Salary: $6,000,000
- Free Agent: Not applicable, as this was a signing bonus.
2011-2011 Pre-Arbitration:
-
- Contract: 1 yr(s) / $414,000
- Signing Bonus: Not applicable
- Average Salary: $414,000
- Free Agent: Not applicable, as this was a pre-arbitration deal.
2012-2012 Pre-Arbitration:
-
- Contract: 1 yr(s) / $502,500
- Signing Bonus: Not applicable
- Average Salary: $502,500
- Free Agent: Not applicable, as this was a pre-arbitration deal.
2013-2013 Pre-Arbitration:
-
- Contract: 1 yr(s) / $528,250
- Signing Bonus: Not applicable
- Average Salary: $528,250
- Free Agent: Not applicable, as this was a pre-arbitration deal.
2014-2014 Arbitration:
-
- Contract: 1 yr(s) / $3,600,000
- Signing Bonus: Not applicable
- Average Salary: $3,600,000
- Free Agent: Not applicable, as this was an arbitration deal.
2015-2016 Arbitration Extension:
-
- Contract: 2 yr(s) / $13,900,000
- Signing Bonus: Not applicable
- Average Salary: $6,950,000
- Free Agent: Not applicable, as this was an arbitration extension.
2017-2017 Arbitration:
-
- Contract: 1 yr(s) / $12,250,000
- Signing Bonus: Not applicable
- Average Salary: $12,250,000
- Free Agent: Not applicable, as this was an arbitration deal.
2018-2025 Free Agent:
-
- Contract: 8 yr(s) / $144,000,000
- Signing Bonus: $5,000,000
- Average Salary: $18,000,000
- Free Agent: Not applicable, as this was a long-term free-agent deal.
2022-2022 Retained:
-
- Contract: 1 yr(s) / $12,967,020
- Signing Bonus: Not applicable
- Average Salary: $12,967,020
- Free Agent: Not applicable, as this was a retained deal.
2023-2023 Retained:
-
- Contract: 1 yr(s) / $197,421
- Signing Bonus: Not applicable
- Average Salary: $197,421
- Free Agent: Not applicable, as this was a retained deal.
2023-2023 Free Agent:
-
- Contract: 1 yr(s) / $720,000
- Signing Bonus: Not applicable
- Average Salary: $720,000
- Free Agent: 2024 / UFA (Unrestricted Free Agent)
