Former Royals outfielder announces retirement at age of 34

Michael A. Taylor, who had two of his best Major League Baseball seasons with the Royals, announced Sunday he was stepping away from the game.

Taylor, who played this season with the White Sox, made his decision public before Chicago’s finale against the Nationals in Washington, D.C. Taylor played his first seven seasons with the Nationals before signing with the Royals ahead of the 2021 season.

Nationals fans gave Taylor a round of applause Sunday.

“When my daughter was asking me to be home, asking why I had to leave and things like that, that was — I love the game, but my family is my priority,” Taylor, who has two young children, told MLB.com about his decision to retire. “There are ways I can stay in the game and still be there for my family.

“Playing 162 (games), it’s tough to do that. If there’s another way for me to stay in the game and be around, I’d like to do that.”

Taylor, 34, won a Gold Glove in his first season with the Royals in 2021, and he hit 12 home runs with 54 RBIs. Baseball Reference said he had a 3.0 Wins Above Replacement.

That’s the second-best of his career. It was topped in Taylor’s second and final season with the Royals in 2022 when he had a 3.4 WAR.

Taylor was traded to the Twins ahead of the 2023 season, and he played for the Pirates in 2024 before signing with the White Sox earlier this year.

Finishing his career at Nationals Park was special to Taylor, who was part of Washington’s 2019 World Series championship team.

‘‘To be able to play my last games of my career here in this ballpark, in front of these fans, is just the icing on the cake,’’ Taylor told the Chicago Sun Times.

This story was originally published September 29, 2025 at 10:56 AM.