New York Yankees 1B Greg Bird: 'My Season Is Not Over'
Apr 4, 2017; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; New York Yankees first baseman Greg Bird (33) works out during batting practice prior to the game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

New York Yankees first baseman Greg Bird declared that although doctors just operated on his right ankle, he’ll be back in 2017.

Sit tight, New York Yankees fans. There’s a chance you may see Greg Bird flapping his wings around the base paths again this season.

After undergoing a “successful” surgery to remove the os trigonum in his right ankle, an injury that has been present since spring training that has held the youngster to just 19 games in 2017, on Tuesday morning, Bird reassured to everyone that not only is he not soft, but he may return to the field before season’s end.


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“My season is not over,” Bird said via Brandan Kuty of NJ Advance Media. “I plan to do everything in my power to return and help our team win in 2017.”

Bird was first placed on the disabled list on May 2 due to the ankle injury and went 6-for-60 (.100) with a wRC+ of 33 — good enough for dead last among major league first baseman with at least 60 plate appearances in 2017. This comes after he missed all of 2016 after undergoing shoulder surgery and two years after he hit 11 home runs in 46 games.

“In nearly four months since first injuring my ankle, it had been increasingly frustrating to have only questions and no answers,” Bird said. “All this time, I have wanted nothing more than to be out there playing the game I love as a member of the New York Yankees.”



Despite his plan to return, general manager Brian Cashman is still expected to pursue a first baseman ahead of July 31’s non-waiver trade deadline. The Yankees have already spoken to the Athletics about All-Star first baseman Yonder Alonso and the Mets about Lucas Duda, as the platoon of Garrett Cooper and Ji-Man Choi are currently manning the fort at first base — a position in which New York ranks 29th in WAR from.

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