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Cardinals' Yadier Molina Says He Plans to Retire After 2020 Season
January 15, 2018
St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina expects to retire after his contract runs out following the 2020 season, according to Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com.
"Three more years, that's it," Molina said Monday, per Brenden Schaeffer of KMOV in St. Louis.
The 35-year-old signed a three-year extension prior to the 2017 season worth $60 million that starts in 2018. If he finishes the deal, he will have played 17 years in the majors, all with the Cardinals.
Molina has been one of the most consistent players in the majors over the past decade, earning All-Star appearances in eight of the last nine seasons. He also has eight Gold Glove awards, which back up his reputation as one of the top defensive players in all of baseball.
The catcher has also seen plenty of team success with St. Louis, winning two World Series, four National League pennants and seven NL Central titles.
Even 14 years into the league, Molina remains a top contributor in all phases of the game.
He set a personal best with 82 RBI last season, while his 18 home runs were his second-most in a season. This came after batting .307 and earning MVP votes in 2016.
The Cardinals had a bit of a disappointing 2017 season, finishing with an 83-79 record and missing the playoffs for the second year in a row. Still, there is a lot of talent on the roster and the team is capable of returning to contention in 2018 if players like Molina play to their ability.
Although 23-year-old Carson Kelly still could represent the future behind the plate for St. Louis, he will have to wait his turn a little longer before getting a full chance at the major league level.