The career of a professional athlete is, on average, shorter than in most other fields.
It makes sense: to remain in the elite, they need to be in top physical condition, otherwise they risk giving up a competitive advantage.
They usually retire when they are 35-40 years old, so it’s important to plan for the future.
The vast majority of athletes need to have savings or come up with a plan for their golden years.
In MLB, a select group of talented and disciplined players who reach 10 years of service time, get the benefit of a pension.
It’s an important milestone to reach for reasons we will explain in a minute.
For now, it’s our duty to point out that a Houston Astros player has reached the milestone.
“Astros closer Ryan Pressly reaches 10 years of major-league service time today. It’s one of the most celebrated milestones in a big league clubhouse. The Astros now have five players who’ve reached 10 years of service: Pressly, Altuve, Verlander, Maldonado and Brantley,” Astros insider Chandler Rome tweeted.
Astros closer Ryan Pressly reaches 10 years of major-league service time today. It's one of the most celebrated milestones in a big league clubhouse. The Astros now have five players who've reached 10 years of service: Pressly, Altuve, Verlander, Maldonado and Brantley
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) August 9, 2023
When they complete 10 years of service time, MLB players get an annual pension of $100,000.
If they have been on an MLB roster for 1,000 days or more, they can get a maximum of $230,000 per year, depending on the case.
Pressly, who has a career 3.18 ERA and 104 saves, will now get that benefit which sets him up nicely for what will come after his MLB tenure is over.
He is an important member of the Astros roster and clubhouse, and was huge in their 2022 World Series run.
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