Former Dodgers Outfielder Suddenly Retires From MLB After 13 Seasons

Jun 1, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers left fielder Kevin Pillar (11) in the third inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Former Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Kevin Pillar has announced his retirement after 13 MLB seasons.

Pillar spent 2022 with the Dodgers, and also featured for the Toronto Blue Jays, San Francisco Giants, Boston Red Sox, Colorado Rockies, New York Mets, Atlanta Braves, Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Angels and Texas Rangers.

BREAKING: Kevin Pillar announces his retirement after 13 years in the big leagues.

Congratulations on a great career, @KPILLAR4! pic.twitter.com/uoi1el7agW

— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) July 2, 2025

"I guess I can officially say that I'm done playing," said Pillar. "I wanted to be 100% sure because of things I went through last year."

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Pillar initially intended to retire after the 2024 season, but ended up signing a minor league contract with the Rangers.

“Going into this situation, there was no guarantee,” Pillar said. “To end up in this chair, you've got to earn it. I think there is some validation. It's definitely a good start, but now the real season starts. Now it's just about building off the things that I was able to do in spring. I felt like I found a lot of things in my game that maybe I've been searching for over the last couple of years.”

Pillar made the Opening Day roster, but was designated for assignment May 25 after playing just 20 games for the club. The Rangers released him May 30.

Pillar left the Mets in 2021 after hitting 15 home runs and batting .231 in 124 games. The Dodgers signed him to a minor league contract in March 2022.

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The outfielder only featured in four games for the Dodgers in 2022, fracturing his shoulder and landing on the 60-day injured list less than a week after his call up from Triple-A Oklahoma City in the middle of the season. He went 1-for-12 across those games, and elected free agency after the season.

Congrats on an amazing career, @KPILLAR4!

You will always be our Superman 💙🇨🇦 pic.twitter.com/S3zigdMzWn

— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) July 2, 2025

Dubbed "Superman" by fans, Pillar became known around the league for his flashy defensive displays throughout his career. He received the Wilson Defensive Player of the Year for center field in 2015, and won a Fielding Bible award in center field the season after. His .997 fielding percentage led the American League in fielding percentage in 2017.

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