Outfielder of the Rockies Ian Desmond is withdrawing for the 2021 season, at least temporarily. He made the announcement on his Instagram page (h / t to Robert Murray of FanSided
I have had difficult conversations in recent months. I asked a lot of questions and thought a lot. For now I have decided to opt out of the 2021 season. My desire to be with my family is greater than my desire to go back and play baseball in these circumstances. I will continue to train and watch things unfold, ”Wrote Desmond as part of his statement.
Desmond has also opted out of the 2020 season due to concerns about COVID-19. This meant that he forfeited the commensurate portion of his $ 15 million salary last year. Now, in the last guaranteed season of his contract, Desmond is said to have lined up this season for a salary of $ 8 million. The highly respected veteran will instead exercise their right to distance themselves from the game. His statement leaves open a potential return later in the season, but it is certainly possible that this will mark the end of Desmond’s tenure in Colorado. His contract includes a $ 15 million club option for 2022, but that will certainly be bought out even if Desmond returns on the field sometime this year.
As Joel Sherman of the New York Post points out (on Twitter), the Rockies are the only team in the league that has not signed a free agent in the Major League this off-season. It remains to be seen whether the club plans to reinvest Desmond’s forfeited salary elsewhere on the roster. His departure opens a spot on the Rockies’ 40-man roster, which was previously full.
More generally, it would come as no surprise to see more players following in Desmond’s footsteps in the coming weeks. More than twenty players left the sport last season. With COVID-19 rates now higher than last summer in many parts of the United States, others in the league are no doubt sharing Desmond’s concerns about his return to the field at this time.