Former Padres All-Star Officially Ends Playing Career in MLB

Maren Angus-Coombs | 6 Hours Ago

Oct 11, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; San Diego Padres right fielder Wil Myers (5) celebrates after hitting a home run during the fifth inning of game one of the NLDS for the 2022 MLB Playoffs against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Wil Myers has opted to step away from baseball after an 11-year MLB career, as he shared with AJ Cassavell of MLB.com.

The former San Diego Padres first baseman and outfielder clarified that he doesn’t plan to “officially” retire, but made the decision in June 2023 following his release by the Cincinnati Reds. Myers was also managing shoulder issues at the time, which factored into his choice.

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“I had a great career,” Myers said. “I loved what I did. I made a lot of great friends. I have no regrets. If you had told me the day I was drafted that this would be your career, I would’ve taken it in a heartbeat. I loved what I did, and now it’s just kind of onto the next chapter of life.”

Myers, who recently celebrated his 34th birthday, is stepping away from baseball after playing in exactly 1,100 career games from 2013 to 2023 with the Tampa Bay Rays, Padres, and Reds. Over his 11 seasons in the majors, Myers posted a .252/.326/.437 batting line with 156 home runs across 4,290 plate appearances, earning a 107 wRC+.

Myers spent eight seasons in San Diego, where he hit 134 home runs, earned an All-Star Game start, and even garnered down-ballot MVP consideration. Most significantly, Myers was a constant presence throughout the Padres' remarkable transformation as a franchise.

His final season in Major League Baseball was spent with the Reds in 2023. While he didn't make it back to San Diego, he plans to return to Petco Park some time in the future.

Myers has returned home to Charlotte, N.C., where he lives with his wife, Maggie, and their 8-month-old son, Miller. Myers mentioned that he hopes to reconnect with the game in some capacity down the road, though he’s still uncertain about the specifics.

For now, Myers is happily embracing his version of retirement. Before sitting down for this interview, he shared with pride that he had just wrapped up his 250th round of golf in 2024.

“I’m not really interested in having any sort of boss just yet,” Myers said. “I like waking up, going to play golf in the morning, coming back and playing dad in the afternoon. I’ve got a nice schedule right now.”

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