Ex-Yankee Backs Out On Blue Jays

The Toronto Blue Jays have been forced to let Greg Bird fly the coop. The one-time New York Yankee highly-touted power bat has had his career derailed by injuries. But despite a fine spring, and being the left-handed bat that the Jays are in need of, Bird exercised a release clause in his contract. 

Per source #BlueJays released Greg Bird this morning.

Jays were strongly considering adding him to 40-man but declined to do so. He could re-sign with Jays but other clubs also likely to have interest after a strong spring

— Ben Nicholson-Smith (@bnicholsonsmith) April 4, 2022

The 29-year-old first baseman hit .261 with a .958 OPS, along with two home runs in an impressive 28 at-bats this spring. 

Bird's career started with a bang for the Yankees in 2015, when he belted 11 HR and 30 RBIs in just 46 games. He missed 2016 with the first of what would be a long string of injury problems. Shoulder surgery that year, was followed by ankle surgery the next season, and again the year after that. Finally, in 2019, he suffered from plantar fasciitis that wiped out yet another season. 

In 2021, he returned to give the game another go, and had a strong year in Triple-A, blasted 27 HR. 

Photo Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports