Tampa Bay Rays Legend Evan Longoria Returns to Tropicana Field For Ceremonial 1st Pitch

Evan Longoria delivered a perfect strike to manager Kevin Cash when he tossed the ceremonial first pitch ahead of the Tampa Bay Rays' game against the Cleveland Guardians on Saturday.

Sep 5, 2017; St. Petersburg, FL, USA;Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Evan Longoria (3) celebrates as they beat the Minnesota Twins at Tropicana Field. / Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Evan Longoria, still technically a free agent, donned a Tampa Bay Rays uniform again on Saturday.

The 38-year-old third baseman returned to Tropicana Field to throw out the ceremonial first pitch ahead of the Rays' afternoon showdown with the Cleveland Guardians. Before he took the mound, the Rays played a tribute video honoring Longoria on the right field jumbotron.

Naturally, the 16-year MLB veteran tossed a perfect strike to manager Kevin Cash, who was crouched behind the plate to receive the pitch.

Welcome back, Evan Longoria 🥹 pic.twitter.com/NtZZtvs6ua

— Bally Sports Sun: Rays (@BallyRays) July 13, 2024

Tampa Bay selected Longoria No. 3 overall in the 2006 MLB Draft. He made his major league debut in 2008, just as the franchise dropped the "Devil" from "Devil Rays."

Longoria won AL Rookie of the Year that season, on top of earning an All-Star nod and leading the newly-minted Rays to their first-ever World Series appearance.

Over the next 10 seasons, Longoria racked up three All-Star appearances, three Gold Gloves and a Silver Slugger. He recorded 1,471 hits, 261 home runs, 892 RBI, 68 defensive runs saved and a 51.2 WAR while batting .270 with an .823 OPS.

Longoria eventually left the Rays in 2018, getting traded to the San Francisco Giants. After playing out his contract in the Bay, Longoria latched on with the Arizona Diamondbacks, who he helped win the National League pennant in 2023.

In 74 games last year, Longoria hit .223 with 11 home runs, 28 RBI, a .717 OPS and a 0.5 WAR.

Longoria hit free agency last fall and has yet to sign any kind of contract with any team.

That meant Longoria was free this weekend, allowing him to return to the ballpark he called home for a decade. He got to wear the Rays' new City Connect uniform, which has an alternate logo of a skateboarding ray playfully nicknamed "Evan Longboardia."

The Rays already unveiled a statue of Longoria outside Tropicana Field last September. Whenever he does decide to officially hang up his cleats for good, it likely won't be long before he makes another trip back to St. Petersburg for a jersey retirement ceremony.

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