The Yankees released Bird from his minor-league contract Wednesday, Conor Foley of The Scranton Times-Tribune reports.
Bird's second stint in the Yankees organization thus comes to an unceremonious end, after he failed to earn a call-up to the big club upon being assigned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre out of spring training. The 29-year-old likely didn't do enough to even warrant an everyday role with the Triple-A club, as he produced a .218/.325/.354 slash line and 85 wRC+ while striking out in 25.4 percent of his 240 plate appearances.
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Yankees' Greg Bird: Back with Yankees
Rotowire
Bird signed a minor-league contract with the Yankees on Tuesday, Sweeny Murti of Sports Radio 66 WFAN reports.
Bird spent spring training with the Blue Jays before being cut Monday, producing a strong .958 OPS. The first baseman will now report to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and return to the Yankees organization after being let go in 2019. Bird will look to get another shot in the big leagues, having last appeared in MLB in 2019, when he played 10 games and batted just .171 over 35 at-bats.
Bird was released by the Blue Jays on Monday, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports.
Reports from over the weekend indicated that Bird had given himself a good shot at making the team, an idea backed up by his .958 spring OPS. The team ultimately decided to go in a different direction, but it's possible his Grapefruit League performance will earn him an opportunity elsewhere.
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Blue Jays' Greg Bird: May have played way onto roster
Rotowire
Bird seems likely to make the Opening Day roster for the Blue Jays, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.
Toronto didn't have a clear backup to Vladimir Guerrero at first base coming into camp, but Bird's strong spring (.286/.423/.619 with two homers through 26 plate appearances) seems to have been enough to win him the job. The 29-year-old hasn't made a fantasy impact since his rookie season with the Yankees in 2015, last seeing time in the majors in 2019 and battling numerous injuries along the way, but Bird could get semi-regular playing time in a platoon with Alejandro Kirk at designated hitter against right-handed pitchers. The Jays also figure to use the DH spot to give other players a partial rest from their defensive duties.
Bird agreed Thursday with the Blue Jays on a minor-league contract, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.
Though he's appeared in just 10 MLB games since the 2019 season, Bird still retains some degree of cachet for baseball fans thanks to a big 2017 postseason for the Yankees in which he supplied a .938 OPS over 13 games. Since then, however, Bird's career has been derailed by a series of untimely injuries and a downturn in productivity on the occasions he's been available. Bird actually showed some durability in 2021 as a member of the Rockies organization, but he never earned a call-up to the majors after slashing .267/.362/.532 with 27 home runs and 91 RBI in 461 plate appearances at Triple-A Albuquerque. With Vladimir Guerrero entrenched as the Blue Jays' everyday first baseman and a number of quality designated-hitter options already on the roster, the change in organizations won't necessarily help Bird in his quest to resurface in the majors.
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Rockies' Greg Bird: Reassigned to minor-league camp
Rotowire
Bird was reassigned to minor-league camp Saturday.
Bird was competing for a backup role at first base during spring training but was unable to secure a spot on the Opening Day roster after hitting .200 with one home run and four RBI in 19 Cactus League games. Josh Fuentes should serve as the primary backup behind C.J. Cron at first base, while Bird will likely begin the year at Triple-A Albuquerque.
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Rockies' Greg Bird: Still competing for roster spot
Rotowire
Bird is still competing for a spot on the major-league roster with less than two weeks remaining until Opening Day, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.
Bird has appeared in 13 Cactus League games this spring but has gone just 4-for-27 with a home run, three runs, three RBI, four walks and eight strikeouts. The 28-year-old has shown glimpses of promise over four seasons in the majors but has struggled to generate results on a consistent basis. If he does earn a roster spot to begin the regular season, he'd have to settle for a depth role behind C.J. Cron and Josh Fuentes.
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Rockies' Greg Bird: Blasts walkoff homer
Rotowire
Bird went 1-for-2 with a solo home run in Saturday's spring win over the Mariners.
Bird entered Saturday's Cactus League matchup as a ping hitter and recorded his first extra-base hit of the spring with his walkoff home run with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning. If the 28-year-old makes the major-league roster to begin the season, he'll likely have to settle for a bench role with C.J. Cron and Josh Fuentes slated to handle the bulk of the work at first base. Bird has gone 3-for-20 with one home run, three runs, four walks and five strikeouts over his first 10 spring games this year.
Bird (illness) signed a minor-league contract with the Rockies on Thursday and will attend big-league camp for spring training, Thomas Harding of MLB.com illness.
Bird didn't appear in any major-league games during the abbreviated 2020 season and tested positive for COVID-19 in late September. Over his final three seasons with the Yankees, the 28-year-old hit .194 with 21 home runs and 67 RBI over 140 games. He'll attempt to crack the major-league roster with Colorado as a non-roster invitee.
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Phillies' Greg Bird: Tests positive for COVID-19
Rotowire
Bird tested positive for COVID-19 during his intake testing after signing with the Phillies, Matt Breen of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
Bird signed a minor-league deal with the Phillies earlier in September, but he wasn't able to join the alternate squad due to his positive COVID-19 test. He was left off the team's postseason player pool as a result, although he didn't have contact with any players within the organization.
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Phillies' Greg Bird: Signs with Phillies
Rotowire
Bird signed a minor-league deal with Philadelphia on Tuesday and was added to the 60-player pool, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports.
The 27-year-old competed for the starting job at first base with the Rangers to begin the season, but he missed the Opening Day roster and suffered a calf injured once he was promoted, only to be DFA'd and released after recovering from the injury. Bird appeared in only 10 games for the Yankees last season and went 6-for-35, but he'll provide the Phillies with some depth at first base with Rhys Hoskins (elbow) potentially requiring Tommy John surgery.
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Greg Bird: Elects free agency
Rotowire
Bird elected free agency Friday.
Bird will look for a new team rather than head to the Rangers' alternate training site. He'll likely have a tough time finding a big-league roster spot given that he owns a .194/.287/.388 slash line since the start of the 2017 season.
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Rangers' Greg Bird: Activated and DFA'd
Rotowire
Bird (calf) was activated off the 10-day injured list and designated for assignment by the Rangers on Tuesday.
The 27-year-old landed on the injured list with the calf strain shortly after having his contract selected by the Rangers, and he's now been removed from the 40-man roster. Bird didn't appear in a game during his brief time with the team, but he could return to the alternate training site if he clears waivers.
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Rangers' Greg Bird: Out with calf strain
Rotowire
Bird was placed on the 10-day injured list Tuesday with a right calf strain, retroactive to Aug. 1.
Bird had his contract selected by the Rangers over the weekend, but he'll head to the injured list before making a game appearance. The 27-year-old doesn't have an official timetable for his return, though he'll be eligible to be activated Aug. 11.
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Rangers' Greg Bird: Set to earn promotion
Rotowire
Bird will have his contract purchased by the Rangers, Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.
Bird is set to join the Rangers ahead of Friday's series opener in San Francisco. The 27-year-old will likely settle in behind Todd Frazier in a reserve role at first base. Ronald Guzman was optioned in a corresponding move.
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Rangers' Greg Bird: Absent from Opening Day roster
Rotowire
Bird wasn't included on the Rangers' Opening Day roster, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.
The veteran slugger entered camp competing with Ronald Guzman for the starting role at first base, but Todd Frazier will end up taking the job while Isiah Kiner-Falefa starts at third base. Bird was unable to distinguish himself during summer training, and the fact he isn't on the 40-man roster gave Guzman a clear advantage for the backup job. Bird is now set to report to the alternate training site in hopes of receiving an in-season opportunity.
