MLB Rumors 2016: Nick Swisher Rejoins Yankees, but on a Minor League Deal
Nick Swisher played his best years in professional baseball with the New York Yankees during his glory days. And after trying to emulate his success with a couple of teams when he left the team in 2012, he now finds himself getting another crack, at least in the minor league.
The team announced that the 35-year old will be joining them on a minor league contract and that he already participated in batting practice and even worked out at first base last Saturday, according to Yahoo Sports.
The veteran first baseman is certainly thankful of the opportunity. "The fact they let me come out here and work is great," he said. "It keeps me in the game, keeps me going strong, and I appreciate that," he added.
The prospect of having Swisher play in the regular rotation is great for a team who needs help at first base since Mark Teixeira's backup, Dustin Ackley lacks experience. Therefore, he has the potential of providing a more than capable skill set to improve the depth.
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According to team manager Joe Girardi, Swisher is expected to join the Yankees' Triple-A affiliate, the purpose of which is to reportedly get him ready in case they decide to call him up. There also is a huge possibility that he'll have a crack at the rotation. "We don't really have a full-time first baseman right now, and that's certainly something Swish can do," Girardi added.
Swisher was a major contributor to the Yankees team that won the World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies in 2009. But after moving on with his career, first with the Cleveland Indians and then with the Atlanta Braves last season, he saw his production go down due to recurring knee injuries. He was eventually released by the Braves this spring, making him a free agent.
