New Cincinnati Reds Pitcher Michael Mariot Was One Day From Retirement Before Getting First MLB Call In 7 Years

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Michael Mariot turns 35 next month. He's played baseball his entire life. But he reached the point that it seemed the game was done with him. Thus, he was just about done with it. And then, the Cincinnati Reds called.

The Kansas City Royals drafted Mariot in the 8th round of the 2010 MLB Draft. He spent four seasons in the minors before making his big-league debut in 2014.

He pitched in 17 games as a rookie in 2014 for the Royals. Although he did not make the team's postseason roster, he still earned a World Series ring.

But Mariot appeared in just two games in the 2015 season and the Royals released him. The Philadelphia Phillies picked him up and he saw action in 25 games for the Phils in 2016.

Michael Mariot pitched for the Philadelphia Phillies in 2016, the last time he took an MLB mound until Monday with the Cincinnati Reds.

Michael Mariot pitched for the Philadelphia Phillies in 2016, the last time he took an MLB mound until Monday with the Cincinnati Reds. (Photo by Josh Lefkowitz/Getty Images)

His career 5.98 ERA over those 44 appearances did not earn him any more time in the big leagues. Mariot bounced around various minor league teams and eventually ended up in the Mexican League.

He returned to the United States and eventually made his way back onto minor league rosters before then heading to China to play in the Chinese Professional Baseball League.

Mariot once again returned to the United States to play independent league baseball. After all of his travels, he told his agent he was just about ready to give up the dream.

He explained that he booked a vacation to Hawaii with his family and if he didn't have a professional baseball job in some capacity by the time that trip came around, he would hang up the cleats.

Mariot says that the day before that vacation was set to begin, the Cincinnati Reds called.

"Somebody was looking out for me," Mariot said about the timing of the call from the Reds.

On Monday, for the first time since 2016, Michael Mariot pitched in a Major League Baseball game. He allowed one run on four hits in 2 2/3 innings. He walked one and struck out two.

The Reds beat the Seattle Mariners, 6-3.

For Mariot though, this game was about far more than just the couple innings he tossed. It meant the continuation of a lifelong dream.

He nearly gave the dream up, but didn't.

And he's back in the bigs for the first time in seven years.

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Dan began his sports media career at ESPN, where he survived for nearly a decade. Once the Stockholm Syndrome cleared, he made his way to OutKick. He is secure enough in his masculinity to admit he is a cat-enthusiast with three cats, one of which is named "Brady" because his wife wishes she were married to Tom instead of him.