Adrian Gonzalez might retire after his contract is up if his back isn’t any better

By Jun 22, 2017, 2:19 PM EDT
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Despite dealing with back trouble for five years, Adrian Gonzalez of the Dodgers recently made his first ever trip to the disabled list. Then he made another trip there. All of it has him contemplating his future. As he tells Bill Plunkett of the OC Register, his baseball future may be a short one if his health doesn’t improve:

“I want to get back this year to help the team and for me to be healthy,” Gonzalez said. “But I’m thinking more long-term about being able to play more years.

“Because if I have to deal with this next year again? That’ll probably be it. My contract will be over, that’ll probably be it. I won’t play any more. If I can heal it and my body feels good? Now I can go out there and do the things I can do. Then I’ll keep playing.”

Backs are one of those things that don’t get better as you get older. At least not without a lot of work and effort and good luck. Gonzalez is 35 now, so he’ll need all of that to keep playing beyond his current deal.

Yankees clear 3 roster spots, could activate Stanton, Donaldson, Kahnle on Friday

Associated PressJun 1, 2023, 2:14 PM EDT
Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
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LOS ANGELES — Giancarlo Stanton, Josh Donaldson and Tommy Kahnle appear set to rejoin the New York Yankees ahead of their series opener against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

New York cleared three roster spots, saying that infielder-outfielders Oswaldo Cabrera and Franchy Cordero had been optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre along with left-hander Matt Krook after a 1-0 loss at Seattle.

Stanton, Donaldson and Kahnle all played in a rehab game for Double-A Somerset. Stanton was hitless in three at-bats in his first appearance since injuring his left hamstring on April 15.

Donaldson went 1 for 4 in his fourth rehab game as he comes back from a strained right hamstring originally sustained on April 5.

Kahnle pitched one inning, giving up one run and one hit and walking two. He has been out since spring training with right biceps tendinitis.

Boone said he wasn’t concerned about Stanton potentially returning after playing in just one rehab game. He did say that Stanton likely will be a designated hitter for a couple of weeks after rejoining the Yankees.