By Donald Laible
Kevin Pillar is officially retired.
When Pillar announced on July 2 that he was retiring as an active player, he meant it. At 36, the former 32nd-round draft pick (979th overall) of the Toronto Blue Jays in 2011 sent signals last season that in all likelihood, 2024 would be his last as a player.
“In the offseason I had surgery on my left thumb. Going back to last August, I wasn’t healthy and not performing well,” Pillar told The Epoch Times on Monday during a phone conversation from his home in North Texas. “During the winter sitting around, I had a bitter taste in not wanting to go out as I did.”
So Pillar acted on his “second thoughts.” When the annual MLB Winter Meetings took place in nearby Dallas last December at the Hilton Anatole Hotel, where player agents, general managers, and other club officials gathered, Pillar attended. After calling his agent and informing him that he was interested in playing again, Pillar soon became a free agent looking for a contract.
“I wanted to experience what the Winter Meetings are all about,” said Pillar, who played for 10 different MLB clubs during his 13 seasons. “I wanted to show my face, but nothing came about.”
Fast-forward to Feb. 23, when spring training camps were open and Pillar received the “ultimate call.” Living within a 30-minute drive to Arlington, Texas, and home to the American League Texas Rangers, Pillar received a blessing from the “baseball gods.” He signed a minor league contract with the Rangers, and the deal included an invitation to spring training. At Rangers camp in Surprise, Arizona, Pillar performed well enough to make the Opening Day roster.
“This was my dream play. Signing with the Rangers meant I would be playing in the area where I lived. My wife wouldn’t have to pack up our house and move to the city where I‘d be playing,’ recalls Pillar, who has a degree in math and business from California State University, Dominguez Hills, in Los Angeles County.
After appearing in 20 games in the first half of this season and batting .209, Pillar was designated for assignment, a respectful way of communicating that his services were no longer needed. As Pillar reviews how the offseason and the 2025 season with Texas progressed, there isn’t a hint of regret in the former outfielder’s voice. His outlook on life, at least in the short term, seems abundantly ambitious. Having given his all to the game, and in his estimate having saved enough money for his family’s future, Pillar speaks of being excited about his passions outside of baseball.
“My wife and two children are happy to have me home now. I have 17 acres and animals on my property. I also like to build and fix things. Projects are always coming up,” he said.
Of all the clubs that Pillar played for, he singles out Toronto for taking a chance on him, believing in him, by selecting him in the 32nd round. He is thankful that Blue Jays management allowed him to move up in the system. In 2013, Pillar got his first taste on the MLB level with the Blue Jays, and he hit his first home run that year. Ultimately, Pillar appeared in 1,234 big-league games and reached several impressive milestones: 1,000-plus hits, 100-plus home runs, and 4,000-plus at-bats.
When Pillar completed 10 years of MLB service in July 2024, something fewer than 10 percent of players attain, he started considering retirement.
“I recently started to have those thoughts of retirement again. Each season, jobs get harder to come by. When spring training comes around, I would find myself clawing for a job with a team. That was stressful for me and my family. I have young kids, and not being able to guarantee a contract is tough, ” Pillar said. “This year, when the Rangers released me, it made sense not to hold on hoping another team is interested.”
Pillar explains that having been released by Texas, and knowing he will never get another MLB hit or be in the lineup with another club, he is at peace. He is also excited about a future in baseball. Now that all 30 club officials know he won’t return as a player, Pillar can be entered into conversations for coaching, managing, and coordinating positions at the major and minor league levels.
Few ballplayers coming from NCAA Division II make it to the majors. Pillar was special at Cal State Dominguez Hills in Carson, Calif. He reached All-American status, ran up a 54-game hitting streak in his junior year, and finished with a college career batting average of .367. In the pros, Pillar was fortunate to play for the 2022 Los Angeles Dodgers, the club he grew up rooting for while living in the San Fernando Valley.
Pillar’s last chapter as a player has been written. In whatever role(s) he selects next, there’s little doubt that Pillar will inject a winning attitude. Time is now on his side.
