A former Seattle Mariners infielder looks to be calling it a career.
Former Mariners second baseman Kolten Wong confirmed his retirement Sunday while throwing out the first pitch in a game between UC San Diego and his alma matter Hawaii in Honolulu, per a report by MLB Trade Rumors.
Wong had the following comments in an interview with Brian McInnis of Spectrum News:
“Pretty much right now, I’m done,” Wong said. “I’ve kind of come to the conclusion that I’m probably going to be hanging them up. It’s just one of those things where, the game how it’s going now, there’s no sense of chasing (it). … I’m a dad now, yes, I’m enjoying that. I’m trying to be the best big league dad that I can be. So I’m going to stick to that.”
Wong played in the major leagues for 11 seasons from 2013-23. He won the Gold Glove twice in 2019 and 2020.
Seattle acquired Wong in a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers on Dec. 2, 2022, in a deal that sent Jesse Winker and Abraham Toro to Milwaukee.
Wong played 67 games for the Mariners in 2023. He scored 21 runs and hit six doubles, two home runs and 19 RBIs and slashed .165/.241/.227 with a .468 OPS. Seattle designated Wong for assignment on Aug. 1, 2023, and released him two days later. The Los Angeles Dodgers signed him on Aug. 9, 2023. Wong played 20 games for Los Angeles in 2023 and elected free agency at the end of the year. That year was the last Wong played in the major leagues.
Wong was last a part of the Baltimore Orioles and Arizona Diamondbacks organizations last but was released while assigned to Arizona’s Triple-A affiliate, the Reno Aces, on May 27, 2024.
