Kevin Pillar is a myriad of smaller stories comprising one Jewish MLB journeyman. The defensive stalwart never basked in the glory of a World Series title or won legacy-defining hardware. Pillar made his mark as a human highlight reel who always found a way to help his team.
Of the 190 Jews who made it to the major leagues, Pillar has the 11th most years played, tied with Sandy Koufax. His career, which has spanned nine teams and twelve seasons, ended on Sunday as a member of the Los Angeles Angels after he had announced his retirement on July 7.
Here are the tales behind one unheralded Jewish outfielder becoming beloved in Canada, San Francisco and New York:
Making the Majors
Kevin Pillar never had the hype of being a top draft pick or international wunderkind. The California native squeaked into the 2011 MLB Draft in the 32nd round, unceremoniously taken 979th by the Toronto Blue Jays. Since 2019, that round of the draft has no longer existed, with a new limit of 20.
Of the 1800 players selected in the 32nd round of the MLB draft since 1965, only 36 players have made the major leagues, forming a success rate of 2%. Pillar described the slim odds as an inspiration throughout his two years in the minor leagues.
Kevin Pillar made his major league debut on Aug. 14, 2013, as the Blue Jays’ starting left fielder. His defensive prowess manifested immediately with a diving catch on the first ball hit toward left field. Pillar built on that play to establish a reputation as an elite defender.
The Birth of Superman
The creator of the Superman poster was not some lone wolf. After earning an everyday role in Toronto’s 2015 lineup, Kevin Pillar routinely dazzled fans and opposing fans with his unique ability to track down the baseball.
The speedy defense-first left fielder first gained national attention against the Tampa Bay Rays on Apr. 15, 2015. Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Tim Beckham crushed a ball to deep left field, looking sure to leave the park for a home run. Instead, Kevin Pillar scaled the ten-foot wall and brought the ball back, robbing Beckham in a stunning turn of events.
The Blue Jays shifted Pillar between his native left field and center field, one of the toughest positions on the diamond, and he took full advantage of the opportunity. His nickname came from one of his masterpieces, robbing extra bases from Red Sox outfielder Mookie Betts. According to Statcast, his catch required covering 82 feet in a mere 4.6 seconds before the play became physically impossible. The broadcasters dubbed him “Superman” after another miraculous full-extension diving play.
Pillar’s defense has become statistically iconic in Toronto and baseball history. Defensive Runs Saved is a popular defensive metric that provides an all-encompassing summation of fielding range, arm strength and home run-robbing plays. Since his debut, Pillar has led all Blue Jays in Defensive Runs Saved with 50 despite only playing for the team in five of those 11 years. His 2016 season, during which he racked up 22 Defensive Runs Saved, is tied for baseball’s 15th most-valuable defensive season.
His surge in popularity allowed for a pursuit of philanthropic passions. In 2016, Pillar funded a scholarship for the accounting department at Tel Aviv University. The university’s description of the Pillar-Lambert scholarship details its goal of supporting Israeli students from lower socio-economic backgrounds.
Shifting to San Francisco
A rebuilding Blue Jays team decided to move on from veteran players in 2019, and they had Kevin Pillar’s name on the list. On Apr. 2, Toronto traded him to the San Francisco Giants for a three-player package. A choked-up Pillar, battling tears away, described the emotions of switching teams for the first time to Sportsnet.
“It’s all I’ve ever known. You spend a lot of time [with the Blue Jays]. You spend more time here than you do in your home in the offseason. I spend more time with people here than I do with my own family. That part is hard,” Pillar said.
Transitioning to his new team would be the most challenging part of Pillar’s 2019 campaign. The center fielder’s bat came alive with career highs in runs scored, home runs and runs batted in. Pillar suddenly became a slider masher, generating a second-place 14-run value and a league-leading .370 batting average against the pitch. Pillar even outperformed both 2019 MVPs.
Pillar’s well-rounded performance as a Giant earned a reward that shocked the baseball world. When MVP voting results became public, Pillar earned a 10th-place vote and made a down-ballot appearance among baseball’s best. A former San Francisco Chronicle Giants beat reporter, Henry Schulman, explained his controversial decision to include Pillar where no one else would.
“MY 10th-place candidate was voted the #sfgiants most inspirational player in his first year…understand why I might think he has extraordinary value to his team,” Schulman tweeted.
Fellow Jewish player Alex Bregman placed second in the 2019 American League MVP race. Pillar’s vote meant two Jewish players appeared in MVP voting simultaneously for the first time since 2012.
Becoming a Journeyman
The last five years of Kevin Pillar’s career came across the country. The center fielder bounced between seven teams, spending no more than one season with each. The San Francisco Giants declined to offer Pillar a contract for 2020 after his career-best showing, suggesting his projected price proved too costly.
Pillar signed with the Boston Red Sox on Feb. 14, 2020 for $4.25 million and only played 30 games before a trade to the Colorado Rockies to aid in their playoff push. His bat impressed in the shortened season and earned a one-year $5 million deal with the New York Mets for 2021 with the possibility of the contract extending to two years.
Mets fans remember Kevin Pillar for one incredible story. Playing against the Atlanta Braves, Pillar stepped into the batter’s box to face reliever Jacob Webb with the bases loaded. Pillar would drive in one run but in the worst way possible. Webb’s fifth pitch veered too far inside and hit Pillar squarely in the face. The 95 MPH fastball caused Pillar to leave the game as his face dripped blood, ultimately revealing multiple nasal fractures and necessitating plastic surgery.
Despite a projected recovery time of six to eight weeks, Kevin Pillar returned to the field two weeks after his hit-by-pitch. Pillar’s inspiring recovery spoke to themes of New York grit and putting the team first. His Mets manager, Luis Rojas, described the team’s reaction to MLB.com.
“That was an emotional moment for all of us, just witnessing it. I mean, I didn’t think [Pillar] was going to be playing at this point. It’s just amazing. This guy’s tough, we knew it before the incident happened and we’ve learned it more after the incident,” Rojas said.
Pillar would not stay with the Mets past 2021 and elected to return to the free-agent market. His 2022 would be a lost season after a season-ending shoulder fracture in his fourth game. Pillar would not return to the major leagues until 2023 as a member of the Atlanta Braves. Pillar rebounded from two injury-plagued years to be an effective backup outfielder in Atlanta, joining the team for his first playoff appearance since 2016.
After a resurgent 2023, Kevin Pillar spent 2024 between two teams. After he opened the year with a 17-game slump, the Chicago White Sox elected to move on from Pillar. The veteran caught on with the Los Angeles Angels, where he remained until the final game of his career this past Sunday.
Retirement does not mean the end of Pillar’s baseball career. He is already eyeing the 2026 World Baseball Classic as a member of Team Israel.
