The New York Yankees allowed Clint Frazier to walk in free agency this past off-season after years of inconsistent play. In 2021, Frazier made 66 appearances, recording a .186 average with a 30% strikeout rate. He hit just five homers and recorded 15 RBIs, justifying the Yankees’ decision to let him go.
During Frazier’s tenure with the Bombers, he suffered through adversity. Dealing with vertigo and concussion symptoms that lasted over a year, Frazier was unable to make a full return, hurting his progression. The Yanks once believed Frazier would be an everyday outfielder for them, but he ended up joining the Chicago Cubs this past off-season on a one-year, $1.5 million deal.
However, Clint had some interesting words regarding his time with the Yankees before his team traveled to the Bronx for a three-game weekend series.
“You had to be a cookie-cutter version to be on that team,” he continued of the Yankees. “If not, then you were like a really bad distraction, it seemed like. So I don’t miss being told how I had to look for the last five years.”
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In the classic fashion, the Cubs DFAd Frazier the very next day:
“He was upset,” Ross said of Frazier’s reaction. “Emotional would be a good word. I think he likes it here [the Cubs] a lot and he believes in his baseball skills, which we do too. I think it’s just one of those really tough decisions we have to make sometimes, which stink. … He’s worked his tail off and done nothing but be a great teammate here. All of his [teammates] like him, the coaches like him a lot. Again, just a roster spot, a move we had to make.”
This season, Frazier is hitting .216 over 19 games and 45 plate appearances. He has only tallied one RBI, but even a struggling Cubs team doesn’t have a place for him in the lineup.
Nonetheless, it was hilariously ironic that Frazier was demoted just hours after offering a glowing review of their acceptance of unique personalities.