Kolten Wong Announces Retirement After 11 Major League Seasons

HONOLULU, Hawaii — Kolten Wong, a two-time Gold Glove winner, announced his retirement from Major League Baseball on Friday. The former Los Angeles Dodgers and Seattle Mariners player shared the news during a press conference in his home state of Hawaii.

“Pretty much right now, I’m done,” Wong said. “I’ve 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, 32, was drafted in the first round of the 2011 MLB Draft by the St. Louis Cardinals out of the University of Hawaii. He made his debut with the Cardinals in 2013 and quickly became known for his defensive skills at second base.

During his eight seasons with the Cardinals, Wong received Gold Glove awards in 2019 and 2020, alongside three Fielding Bible awards from 2018 to 2020. He also participated in 28 postseason games, including two in the 2013 World Series against the Boston Red Sox.

After leaving St. Louis, Wong signed a two-year contract worth $18 million with the Milwaukee Brewers in February 2021. However, he was traded to the Seattle Mariners prior to the 2023 season.

Wong struggled with the Mariners, batting just .165 before being released in August 2023. He briefly joined the Dodgers, where he hit two home runs and maintained a .300 batting average in 20 games before ending the season.

Despite attempts to return to MLB in 2024, including stints with the Baltimore Orioles and Arizona Diamondbacks, Wong did not make a major league roster. In Triple-A, he had a .271 batting average over 31 games with the D-backs’ affiliate.

Wong retires with a career .256 batting average, alongside 63 home runs and 228 RBIs across 1,189 games. His retirement marks the end of a notable MLB career defined by defensive excellence and flashes of offensive prowess.