Nothing ever has come easy for Grady Sizemore.
After missing two full seasons because of injuries, then being designated for assignment by the Boston Red Sox in mid-June, the 31-year-old outfielder was back in a major league lineup Friday night.
Sizemore batted leadoff and played center field for the Philadelphia Phillies, going 1-for-4 with a run scored in a 6-2 victory over the Washington Nationals.
The bigger story, though, is Sizemore’s continued perseverance.
After a strong spring training, Sizemore’s Red Sox stint was marred by inconsistency and struggles at the plate during the regular season. He hit just .216 with two home runs and 15 RBIs over 52 games in Boston.
Sizemore got a second chance, however, when the Phillies signed him to a minor league contract on June 24 and sent him to Triple-A Lehigh Valley, where he posted a .723 OPS over 11 games to earn a spot on the organization’s major league roster.
“Going through everything I have gone through, I appreciate every day here,” Sizemore told CSNPhilly.com. “Not knowing whether you will every play again, I think that every day. Any day I get to put a uniform on is something I appreciate.”
Photo via Bill Streicher/USA Today Sports Images
