Former Cubs slugger announces immediate retirement after battle with cancer
CHICAGO, IL – AUGUST 23: An equipment bag with the Cubs logo sits in the dugout before Game 2 of a doubleheader between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Chicago Cubs on August 23, 2022, at Wrigley Field in Chicago, IL. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Sportswire Icon via Getty Images
For a former outfield slugger and World Series champion, a high-profile season with the Chicago Cubs was supposed to represent the start of a new chapter.
Instead, his lone season on the North Side represented one of the toughest stretches of a memorable career, though it’s something fans of the team will want to remember after a sudden career update on Monday.
Former infield hitter joined Chicago Cubs after battle with cancer and made remarkable comeback
Veteran slugger Trey Mancini joined the Cubs in 2023 with considerable expectations after spending most of his career as a productive middle-of-the-lineup presence for the Baltimore Orioles and then quickly winning a World Series championship with the Houston Astros.
“When Mancini first approached free agency, (Orioles) general manager Mike Elias generated trade interest before the deadline and ultimately ended up sending Mancini to the 2022 Astros, with whom he won a World Series ring,” Steve Adams. Retired over MLB trade rumors.
The Cubs signed him to a two-year deal, including a club option, hoping his versatility and power would strengthen their lineup.
It never came to fruition. Mancini hit just .234 with a .299 on-base percentage and .336 slugging percentage in 79 games before Chicago designated him for assignment in August. He eventually cleared waivers and became a free agent, leaving his future as a player uncertain.
Cubs fans will also remember that Mancini joined the team after a remarkable recovery from a cancer diagnosis.
“Early in 2020 spring training, the Orioles announced that Mancini would leave camp to undergo an undisclosed medical procedure,” Adams recalled. “Days later, Mancini and the team announced that doctors had recently discovered a malignant tumor in his colon. He had immediately undergone surgery to remove the growth.”
Mancini returned in 2021 with the Orioles, hitting 21 home runs that season, participating in the Home Run Derby and winning the American League Comeback Player of the Year award.
Former Chicago Cubs slugger officially announces retirement after standout career
Now, after such a notable career, the former Cubs free agent has announced that he is formally retiring from baseball.
After a disappointing campaign with the Cubs in 2026, Mancini fought his way back to the majors with the Los Angeles Angels this season, but after the team cut him, he decided to hang up his cleats for good.
“After I got the DFA, I knew that unless I was somehow claimed, I would be done, but I wanted to take some time and not retire right away,” Mancini. he told MASN’s Roch Kubatko on Monday night. “Everything went well, as long as I needed to get back up. Yeah, I’m excited.”
While Mancini didn’t want to end his career until he could return to the majors after a disappointing season with the Cubs, many fans in Chicago will surely wish him the best in his next chapter after a surprising return with the Orioles.
Source link
