Reports: 3B Evan Longoria signs 1-year deal with Arizona Diamondbacks
Jan 2, 2023, 9:11 AM
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - SEPTEMBER 09: Evan Longoria #10 of the San Francisco Giants at bat against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on September 09, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
(Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
The Arizona Diamondbacks have signed third baseman Evan Longoria to a one-year deal, according to multiple reports.
MLB Network’s Jon Heyman was the first to report the move, which is worth $4 million with an additional $1 million in bonuses, according to AZCentral’s Nick Piecoro.
Longoria, 37, is coming off a 2022 season with the San Francisco Giants in which he slashed .244/.315/.451 for an OPS of .767.
He also added 14 home runs, 42 RBIs and 27 walks in 266 at-bats across 89 games played.
Longoria is a three-time All-Star who has won three gold gloves, one Silver Slugger Award, one Defensive Player of the Year Award and was named the 2008 AL Rookie of the Year.
However, all of those accolades except for his DPOY (2013) and third Gold Glove (2017) came in his first three years in Major League Baseball from 2008-10.
Defensively, the right-handed hitter gives Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo a third true third baseman along with left-handed hitting Josh Rojas and righty Emmanuel Rivera.
And offensively, Lovullo could use Longoria’s 124 wRC+ against left-handed pitchers in 2022 instead of Rojas’ 97 wRC+ versus lefties this past season. Longoria also slashed .282/.333/.479 for a .812 OPS in addition to six home runs, five doubles and 15 RBIs in 117 at-bats (63 games).
Compare that to Rojas, who had a slash line of .261/.333/.333 and struck out 35 times in 111 at-bats (28.8%) vs. LHP.
Longoria also has monster numbers in his 27 games (103 at-bats) at Chase Field. The 15-year veteran has amassed a .359/.417/.631 slash line on 14 extra-base hits, seven home runs and 27 RBIs.
His 1.049 OPS at Chase Field is also the best of his career at any active ballpark in MLB.
This story was first published by Sactown Sports‘ sister station, Arizona Sports.
