Former Yankee Greg Bird Somehow Clears Waivers Completely and Hits Free Agency
By Andy Loughmiller
The New York Yankees will be locked and loaded on the hunt for a World Series run in 2020 after falling short this year, and they are officially going to do so without first baseman Greg Bird.
Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported on Wednesday that Bird has somehow managed to become a free agent now that he's cleared waivers without any team submitting a claim. He is now free to sign with the team of his choice, provided they're keen to give him a shot.
Greg Bird cleared waivers and is now a free agent.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 27, 2019
Bird had a solid rookie season for the Yankees in 2015, but injuries have plagued him throughout his MLB career since then. He still has some upside and shouldn't have too much trouble finding a new home.
New York could actually still decide to re-sign the 27-year-old, but that doesn't appear to be in the team's plans at the moment, per SportsNet New York's Andy Martino.
While Yankees aren't totally ruling out re-signing Greg Bird, they seem him as more of a change-of-scenery guy.
— Andy Martino (@martinonyc) November 27, 2019
Bird's time in New York was full of promise but ultimately a disappointing one. He accounted for 11 home runs and 31 RBIs in 157 at-bats in 2015, but ultimately succumbed to injuries and inconsistency. Now, he turns the page and begins a new chapter.