Rays retire Evan Longoria's jersey and induct him into the team's Hall of Fame
By Rick Mayer
July 12, 2026 at 1:17 AM EDT
Tampa Bay's longtime third baseman makes a final entrance at the Trop from 162 Landing while Tantric gives a live performance of his walkup song, "Down and Out." No one will again wear No. 3 for the Rays.
The Tampa Bay Rays retired Evan Longoria’s jersey number during a pregame ceremony on Sunday, a day after the longtime third baseman was inducted into the team’s Hall of Fame.
Longoria made his entrance from the left field door next to 162 Landing, which received the most famous of Longoria’s 261 home runs with Tampa Bay. As Longoria saluted the fans at Tropicana Field, Tantric performed “Down and Out” – with its stirring violin fanfare – which served as Longoria’s walkup song.
After Longoria met his wife and children – all wearing his No. 3 Rays jersey – at third base, all eyes turned to the left-field upper deck, where former teammate James Shields and coach Tom Foley removed the draping to reveal a large, encircled No. 3.
ALSO READ: Rays to celebrate Longoria's career with number retirement, Hall induction
“I‘m trying to hold in the emotions as best I can outwardly, but inwardly, the Rays, they’ve been planning this for so long, and the details were all super special,” Longoria said afterward. “I’m glad we had some old familiar faces up there to do it. That just made it even that much more special.”
https://twitter.com/MLB/status/2076369508504076592
Longoria’s number is displayed to the right of the Rays’ other retired jerseys: No. 66 Don Zimmer, No. 12 Wade Boggs (2000), and Jackie Robinson, the baseball pioneer whose No. 42 is retired throughout Major League Baseball.
Of the four, only Longoria spent the bulk of his career with Tampa Bay, from 2008 to 2017. The 40-year-old still holds several Rays records, including most games played, RBIs and home runs.
On Saturday, Longoria joined Zimmer (2023), Boggs (2023), Carl Crawford (2023), Fred McGriff (2024) and Dave Wills (2024) in the Rays Hall of Fame.
“I’ll never be able to put into words the love I felt from you, putting on the Rays’ No. 3,” Longoria told the fans during his Hall of Fame speech. “From queuing the violins for 10 years to tossing in front of the dugout before every game and finding a fan to toss that ball to, you inspired me every day to bring the best version of myself to the ballpark.”
Longoria, who announced his retirement a year ago, was honored as part of “Longo Legacy Weekend,” although his place in team history had already been memorialized outside Tropicana Field. In 2023, a statue of Longoria was erected depicting that 162 Landing home run, a walk-off line drive in the final regular-season game of 2011 that pushed Tampa Bay to the playoffs.
Evan Longoria puts on his Rays Hall of Fame jacket, with an assist by Rays broadcaster Dewayne Staats, left, and team CEO Ken Babby during a ceremony before the game between the Rays and the Mariners Saturday, July 11, 2026, in St. Petersburg. Looking on is Rays radio announcer Andy Freed, the emcee of the ceremony at Tropicana Field. (1024x1657, AR: 0.6179843089921545)
"Being inducted into the Rays Hall of Fame ... and seeing my No. 3 joining those other retired numbers, to think it's been 20 years since that first batting practice, I’m just honored and I’m proud,” he said.
Longoria was the third overall draft selection in 2006 by the Rays and went on to earn the 2008 American League Rookie of the Year, three Gold Gloves, a Silver Slugger and three All-Star appearances. In 2017, he was traded to the San Francisco Giants at age 32. The California native played his last season in 2023 with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
With portions of Tropicana Field’s upper deck open for the first time since the 2023 postseason, Sunday’s game drew a crowd of 24,297 and Saturday’s game had 22,597.
ALSO READ: Rays' latest renderings offer an inside glimpse of their proposed Tampa stadium
The Rays go into the All-Star break with the best record in the American League, 56-38, and a three-game lead over the New York Yankees in the AL East.
"2026 champs has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?" Longoria concluded. "A special group, a special day, and I'm so grateful for all of you."
More Rays
RAYS DRAFT: Tampa Bay selected Texas high school shortstop Grady Emerson, 18, with the second overall pick in the Major League Baseball amateur draft on Saturday. A University of Texas commit, Emerson was widely considered the best all-around player in the draft.
ALL-STAR ADD: Rays right-handed pitcher Nick Martinez was added to the American League roster for Tuesday’s All-Star Game, replacing injured Boston left-hander Ranger Suarez. Martinez, 35, is 8-2 with a 2.65 ERA, fourth best in the AL. He’s Tampa Bay’s fifth All-Star, joining starting third baseman Junior Caminero, designated hitter Yandy Diaz, and pitchers Drew Rasmussen and Bryan Baker at the Midsummer Classic.
HOME RUN DERBY: Caminero will participate in Monday night’s Home Run Derby, the signature leadoff event All-Star Week in Philadelphia. Last year, he was edged by Seattle's Cal Raleigh 18-15 in the final round. Also participating is Kansas City’s Jac Caglianone, who played at Tampa’s Plant High School. Netflix telecasts the event at 8.
FUTURES MVP: Rays No. 2 prospect Nathan Flewelling hit a two-run homer, leading the AL to a 6-1 win over the NL while earning most valuable player honors in the All-Star Futures Game, which featured most of Minor League Baseball's best players.
Longoria made his entrance from the left field door next to 162 Landing, which received the most famous of Longoria’s 261 home runs with Tampa Bay. As Longoria saluted the fans at Tropicana Field, Tantric performed “Down and Out” – with its stirring violin fanfare – which served as Longoria’s walkup song.
After Longoria met his wife and children – all wearing his No. 3 Rays jersey – at third base, all eyes turned to the left-field upper deck, where former teammate James Shields and coach Tom Foley removed the draping to reveal a large, encircled No. 3.
ALSO READ: Rays to celebrate Longoria's career with number retirement, Hall induction
“I‘m trying to hold in the emotions as best I can outwardly, but inwardly, the Rays, they’ve been planning this for so long, and the details were all super special,” Longoria said afterward. “I’m glad we had some old familiar faces up there to do it. That just made it even that much more special.”
https://twitter.com/MLB/status/2076369508504076592
Longoria’s number is displayed to the right of the Rays’ other retired jerseys: No. 66 Don Zimmer, No. 12 Wade Boggs (2000), and Jackie Robinson, the baseball pioneer whose No. 42 is retired throughout Major League Baseball.
Of the four, only Longoria spent the bulk of his career with Tampa Bay, from 2008 to 2017. The 40-year-old still holds several Rays records, including most games played, RBIs and home runs.
On Saturday, Longoria joined Zimmer (2023), Boggs (2023), Carl Crawford (2023), Fred McGriff (2024) and Dave Wills (2024) in the Rays Hall of Fame.
“I’ll never be able to put into words the love I felt from you, putting on the Rays’ No. 3,” Longoria told the fans during his Hall of Fame speech. “From queuing the violins for 10 years to tossing in front of the dugout before every game and finding a fan to toss that ball to, you inspired me every day to bring the best version of myself to the ballpark.”
Longoria, who announced his retirement a year ago, was honored as part of “Longo Legacy Weekend,” although his place in team history had already been memorialized outside Tropicana Field. In 2023, a statue of Longoria was erected depicting that 162 Landing home run, a walk-off line drive in the final regular-season game of 2011 that pushed Tampa Bay to the playoffs.
Evan Longoria puts on his Rays Hall of Fame jacket, with an assist by Rays broadcaster Dewayne Staats, left, and team CEO Ken Babby during a ceremony before the game between the Rays and the Mariners Saturday, July 11, 2026, in St. Petersburg. Looking on is Rays radio announcer Andy Freed, the emcee of the ceremony at Tropicana Field. (1024x1657, AR: 0.6179843089921545)
"Being inducted into the Rays Hall of Fame ... and seeing my No. 3 joining those other retired numbers, to think it's been 20 years since that first batting practice, I’m just honored and I’m proud,” he said.
Longoria was the third overall draft selection in 2006 by the Rays and went on to earn the 2008 American League Rookie of the Year, three Gold Gloves, a Silver Slugger and three All-Star appearances. In 2017, he was traded to the San Francisco Giants at age 32. The California native played his last season in 2023 with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
With portions of Tropicana Field’s upper deck open for the first time since the 2023 postseason, Sunday’s game drew a crowd of 24,297 and Saturday’s game had 22,597.
ALSO READ: Rays' latest renderings offer an inside glimpse of their proposed Tampa stadium
The Rays go into the All-Star break with the best record in the American League, 56-38, and a three-game lead over the New York Yankees in the AL East.
"2026 champs has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?" Longoria concluded. "A special group, a special day, and I'm so grateful for all of you."
More Rays
RAYS DRAFT: Tampa Bay selected Texas high school shortstop Grady Emerson, 18, with the second overall pick in the Major League Baseball amateur draft on Saturday. A University of Texas commit, Emerson was widely considered the best all-around player in the draft.
ALL-STAR ADD: Rays right-handed pitcher Nick Martinez was added to the American League roster for Tuesday’s All-Star Game, replacing injured Boston left-hander Ranger Suarez. Martinez, 35, is 8-2 with a 2.65 ERA, fourth best in the AL. He’s Tampa Bay’s fifth All-Star, joining starting third baseman Junior Caminero, designated hitter Yandy Diaz, and pitchers Drew Rasmussen and Bryan Baker at the Midsummer Classic.
HOME RUN DERBY: Caminero will participate in Monday night’s Home Run Derby, the signature leadoff event All-Star Week in Philadelphia. Last year, he was edged by Seattle's Cal Raleigh 18-15 in the final round. Also participating is Kansas City’s Jac Caglianone, who played at Tampa’s Plant High School. Netflix telecasts the event at 8.
FUTURES MVP: Rays No. 2 prospect Nathan Flewelling hit a two-run homer, leading the AL to a 6-1 win over the NL while earning most valuable player honors in the All-Star Futures Game, which featured most of Minor League Baseball's best players.