KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Eric Hosmer, the former Kansas City Royals first baseman that was a part of two World Series teams in 2014 and 2015 announced his retirement from baseball Wednesday.
After falling just short of the World Series title in 2014, Hosmer and the Royals defeated the New York Mets in the 2015 World Series, bringing the Royals their first championship since 1985 when they defeated their in-state rival, the St. Louis Cardinals.
Hosmer, 34, made the retirement announcement in a YouTube video that also showcased the debut of his new podcast project, “Diggin’ Deep.” Hosmer also revealed a new MLB player-owned media company, MoonBall Media, to focus on “authentic sports storytelling.”
The Royals drafted Hosmer with the third overall pick in the 2008 MLB Draft. After spending three seasons in the minor leagues, Hosmer broke through with the big league club in 2011, the first of seven seasons with the club.
During his tenure, Hosmer picked up four Golden Glove awards and was among those who received most value player votes in 2015 and 2017. As a Royal, he collected 1,132 hits, with 127 of those being home runs. He drove in 566 runs and slashed .284/.342/.439.
Hosmer signed a $144 million, eight-year deal in 2018 that took him to the San Diego Padres, here he played five seasons. He finished his career with stops with the Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs.
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