Nick Swisher has decided family first as he opts out of his minor league contract with the New York Yankees.
What was once a final bid for a 35-year old kid to continue to live his dream has come to an end as former New York Yankees All-Star Nick Swisher has stepped back from the game he loves so very much.
Despite the porous play with the Atlanta Braves in 2015 (.195/.349/.339 slash line), Swisher was given a second chance with a team he won a World Series as they sought out a dependable depth in case of an injury to Mark Teixeira.
At first, he was making a bid to join the team and make a difference as he slashed 357/.391/.595 for two weeks after he signed a minor league contract with he Bombers.
Unfortunately, his .200/.207/.278 slash line for the month of May and continued struggles in June. Although he had picked up his performance towards the end of the month, it was clear the Yankees didn’t think much of his attempted comeback.
Instead of calling Swisher up from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, New York chose Chris Parmelee, converted Rob Refsnyder into a first baseman and even signed Ike Davis during Teixeira’s absence.
After the birth of my second child, I’ve decided to take a step back and spend the rest of this season with my wife and two daughters. (1/6)
— Nick Swisher (@NickSwisher) July 2, 2016
Make no mistake, I am not hanging it up. I love this game with the same amount of passion that I had as a rookie 12 years ago. (2/6)
— Nick Swisher (@NickSwisher) July 2, 2016
I want to thank the @Yankees for giving me the opportunity to return to the organization that I love so much (3/6)
— Nick Swisher (@NickSwisher) July 2, 2016
and wish them nothing but success for the rest of 2016. (4/6)
— Nick Swisher (@NickSwisher) July 2, 2016
Despite not being at the ballpark every day, I will continue to train on a daily basis (5/6)
— Nick Swisher (@NickSwisher) July 2, 2016
and evaluate my options for next season at the appropriate time. (6/6)
— Nick Swisher (@NickSwisher) July 2, 2016
Announced via Twitter this afternoon, Swisher ended his comeback attempt after an overall slash line of .255/.297/.377 with seven home runs.
Being that he will turn 36 this coming November, it will be hard to see him be Swishalicious with any other organization. His child-like personality will now shift from being present on the baseball diamond to full-time Dad. Although Nick Swisher enthusiasts are disappointed, at least he has his priorities in check.
Best of luck in all your future endeavors, Swish.
