A testament to endurance: Pillar hits 10 years of service time

CHICAGO -- As a 32nd-round pick out of Cal State Dominguez Hills in 2011, it was an accomplishment for Kevin Pillar to even reach the Major Leagues.

But Pillar continued to defy the odds with a stellar career and reached a major milestone on July 6, getting to 10 years of service time in the Majors. It’s an incredible achievement reached by only roughly seven percent of players who get to the big leagues and he was honored by his teammates with a special celebration before the Angels’ game against the Cubs at Wrigley Field.

Pillar’s locker was decorated with gold stars and gold balloons spelling out the No. 10 and he gave a toast to his teammates before the game. Pillar’s pension is now fully vested, which is a major perk of reaching 10 years, but Pillar explained there’s more to it than just that.

“The essence of 10 years is you're fully invested in your pension, but to us baseball players, it’s more,” said Pillar, who wore a suit to the ballpark. “The epitome of the service-time mark you reach is to know that you've really accomplished something very rare in this game. Ten years is kind of like the marker that you’ve been able to survive this game and endure this game.”

Pillar, 35, said he played with a chip on his shoulder early in his career because he believed he was overlooked as an amateur. He was undrafted out of Chaminade College Preparatory School in Los Angeles and attended Cal State Dominguez Hills, a Division II program that had only sent six players to the Majors.

But the Blue Jays, led by scout Kevin Fox, took a chance on Pillar with a late-round selection and he took full advantage of it. Pillar thanked Fox for believing in him and also had high praise for former Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos and current Angels GM Perry Minasian for their support. Anthopoulos was GM in Toronto when Pillar debuted in 2013, while Minasian was an assistant GM at the time. He said his wife, Amanda, whom he met in college, was also instrumental in helping him stay even keel along the way.

“I've been through a lot of unbelievable moments and a lot of sleepless nights,” Pillar said. “A lot of great accomplishments but also a lot of days, weeks, even months feeling lost. And not being sure if I can continue to play this game at a high level. And I rehabbed my shoulder for three months [in 2022] and thought it might be the end of my career. So to be able to endure all those things and get to this moment means a lot.”

Pillar finished the season hitting .236/.291/.378 with seven homers, 14 doubles and 41 RBIs in 53 games with the Angels after being signed on April 30 after being released by the White Sox.

He said he’s likely to retire after this season and was unsure if he’d be open to a trade to a contender ahead of the July 30 Trade Deadline. He’s reached all the milestones he was aiming for this season, getting his 1,000th hit and scoring his 500th run on May 19 at Texas, and getting his 100th career stolen base on May 15. He’s one of just 17 active players with at least 100 career homers, 100 stolen bases, 1,000 hits and 500 runs scored. But to Pillar those statistics don’t mean as much as his impact on his teammates and the way he carries himself as a Major Leaguer.

“My friends and some family and former teammates reached out to me today and it’s just a reminder it’s not about the statistical accomplishments,” Pillar said. “It’s about people. And the people I’ve shared a clubhouse with. Impacting their life and impacting my life. When my career is over, nobody is going to congratulate me on XYZ [stats]. They're gonna probably say some nice things about being a good teammate and playing the game the right way and playing hard.”

Angels manager Ron Washington, who reached the 10-year mark himself as a Major Leaguer, said he was touched by the pregame ceremony honoring Pillar in the clubhouse. He said Pillar is the perfect example for his young players.

“He’s a class act,” Washington said. “Just made sure that everybody in there, especially the young guys, understands you never know where your career is going to go. So when you have one, you have to cherish it and give your best.”