In the debut episode of his new podcast, Diggin’ Deep, 34-year-old veteran first baseman Eric Hosmer officially announced his retirement from Major League Baseball. While he had opportunities to play in 2024, Hosmer called it a career after 13 seasons, which included a World Series title with the Kansas City Royals in 2015.
“I just didn’t know if my body was ready for all that, didn’t know mentally if I was ready to go back,” Hosmer said on his newly-launched podcast Wednesday. “And if you’re not ready at 110% to compete in this league, then it’s not going to work out. These roster spots are so valuable, and I really understand the value of a roster spot in the big leagues.”
Hosmer isn’t hanging up his cleats entirely just yet.
Although he announced his retirement on Wednesday, he’s already embarked on a new venture in the baseball world. Partnering with former Royals minor leaguer and award-winning producer Anthony Seratelli, the two have launched MoonBall Media, a media and production company.
“We’re thrilled to officially announce the launch of MoonBall Media,” said MoonBall Media founder and CEO Anthony Seratelli in a release. “The opportunity to fully merge my passion and experience in both sports and storytelling is something I’ve been working towards for a long time. We have an amazingly talented team of producers and creators, and we look forward to entertaining audiences through our unique documentaries, weekly podcasts, live sports, and much more content to come.”
Under the umbrella of MoonBall Media, Hosmer is teaming up with former teammate Peter Moylan and performance coach Justin Su’a to co-host the Diggin’ Deep podcast.
First episode of Diggin’ Deep is live! Click the link below to check it out…https://t.co/EjfJjgb5aJ pic.twitter.com/tCDQyR4MK6
— Eric Hosmer (@TheRealHos305) February 21, 2024
“I’ve always had an interest in authentic storytelling and feel this is the perfect time for me to dive into media and create content that’s entertaining and relatable,” said Hosmer, co-founder of MoonBall Media. “I feel baseball content is underserved and my goal is for MoonBall to be the leaders in the space. I’m excited to team up with Anthony again after years together on the field and bring these stories to life.”
While hailed as one of his generation’s best defensive first basemen, Hosmer’s 2018 blockbuster free agent deal with the San Diego Padres didn’t quite deliver on its promise. Over 1,500 miles from his Kansas City Royals roots, Hosmer’s offensive production dipped significantly after transitioning to the National League.
His journey continued with stints with the Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs, but the magic never fully returned. Before being released by the Cubs last season, he was hitting a career-low .234 with no home runs and a meager .610 OPS.
Ultimately, the allure of family and the demanding nature of professional baseball proved too strong. After being released, Hosmer prioritized spending time with his wife and young son, leading him to retire and step away from the game.
