3x All-Star, World Series winner Mike Moustakas to retire as a Royal after signing one-day contract with Kansas City

Third baseman Mike Moustakas has announced his retirement from Major League Baseball, closing out his career with a final contract with the Kansas City Royals. Moustakas spent 13 seasons in MLB after making his debut with the Royals in 2011.

On Monday, the Kansas City Royals announced the three-time All-Star's retirement, also revealing that he will officially retire as a Royal after signing a one-day contract with the team on May 31.

In the 2007 MLB Draft, the Kansas City Royals selected Mike Moustakas with the second overall pick. He finished his rookie season in 2011 with a .263 batting average, a .675 OPS, 5 home runs, 30 RBIs, and 22 walks in 89 games.

Expand Tweet

Discussing Moustakas' retirement, Royals Executive Vice President and GM J.J. Picollo said (via MLB.com):

“We're happy to announce that Mike Moustakis is going to retire a Royal. Talking to Mike through the winter, talking about this process, we're just super excited that he thinks of our organization the way he does. And I think, from a pride standpoint, he's very proud that he'll be retiring a Royal.

“So I think one day he's going to be a Royals Hall of Famer, and we look forward to that day. But on May 31st, we're going to have a ceremony, a pregame ceremony at Kauffman, to celebrate him signing and retiring as a Royal."

Mike Moustakas had a memorable tenure with the Kansas City Royals from 2011 to 2018, playing a key role in the team’s 2015 World Series championship.

Mike Moustakas shared his candid feelings about retiring as a Royal

In 2017, while playing for the Kansas City Royals, Mike Moustakas hit a career-high 38 home runs, recorded 85 RBIs, and played in 148 games. Discussing his retirement with the Royals, he said (via MLB.com):

“It's pretty special. I always thought I would end my career as a Royal. It's the place I wanted to be. This city, this organization means so much to me and my family. I've had so many phenomenal memories here. and to be able to, you know, come back here.

“This role that I'm in right now, it means a lot. It's very special… All the work that went up after getting drafted and then finally having the World Series, I think is probably the most special moment in my career as a player.”

Moustakas will be ending his career after playing for multiple teams. In addition to the Royals, he also was a part of the Milwaukee Brewers, Cincinnati Reds, Colorado Rockies, Los Angeles Angels, and Chicago White Sox.

About the author

Chirag Dhariya is a baseball reporter at Sportskeeda with over two years of experience in content writing and SEO. While it may not seem directly related to his current profession, Chirag believes his graduation in Commerce instilled in him the research and analytical skills essential for this job.

A New York Mets fan, Chirag was introduced to baseball and its popularity in Japan, thanks to anime. He considers Sonny Gray securing his 100th career win in the same place where he got his first win - the Oakland Coliseum, as one of his favorite moments from recent MLB history.

Chirag's writing process involves meticulous research and multiple proofreads to ensure his articles provide the readers with accurate facts packaged in a simple yet engaging manner.

He is also a Google Analytics enthusiast and a huge anime fan who likes to keep himself updated with the current trends in the genre.

Know More

Edited by Chaitanya Prakash