The career of a former Houston Astros fan favorite is set to come to an end after the 2025 season.
USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, in his Sunday notes column, reported that catcher Martín Maldonado will retire from the Majors after the season.
The soon-to-be 39-year-old Maldonado is playing for the San Diego Padres. By the end of the season, he’ll have 13 years of service time after breaking into Major League Baseball in 2011 with the Milwaukee Brewers.
Maldonado landed with the Houston Astros twice. At the 2018 trade deadline, the Los Angeles Angels traded him to the Astros for left-handed pitcher Patrick Sandoval and future considerations. Maldonado opted for free agency after the season, but not before he helped Houston reach the American League Championship Series.
He signed with the Kansas City Royals the following season, but he was dealt twice in a two-week span in July. First, the Royals shipped Maldonado to the Chicago Cubs for pitcher Mike Montgomery. Then, the Cubs flipped him to the Astros for outfielder Tony Kemp.
He helped Hoston push to the 2019 Worlds Series, where it lost in seven games to the Washington Nationals. After the season, the Astros re-signed Maldonado.
Maldonado was never a good hitter with Houston. He slashed .191/.273/.350 with 58 home runs and 163 RBI. His value was wrapped up in his defense and his ability to handle a pitching staff. The respect his teammates and his former manager Dusty Baker, had for him, ran deep and at times controversially.
But he called games for some of the most talented pitchers in franchise history, including Cy Young winner Justin Verlander and left-hander Framber Valdez, the latter of which threw his first no-hitter with Maldonado behind the plate.
Maldonado was behind the plate for Houston as it reached the World Series again in 2021 and 2022, with the Astros winning the title in the latter appearance against the Philadelphia Phillies.
After the 2023 season he was allowed to become a free agent, and he signed with the Chicago White Sox. The franchise designated him for assignment in July, and he didn’t play in the Majors again in 2024.
The Padres signed him in January and assigned him to Triple-A El Paso to start spring training. He proved effective enough to serve as a backup catcher on opening day.
Nightengale reported that Maldonado intends to spend a year away from the game and then pursue a coaching career as early as 2027.
