All-Star Infielder Launched by Yankees Nonetheless a Free Agent 171 Days Later

Paul DeJong, a nine-year MLB veteran infielder and 2019 All-Star choice, began the 2026 season as a member of the New York Yankees. However they launched him on Might 1, and after signing with the Detroit Tigers, he was launched by that crew as nicely, on Might 25.

Now, 147 days after the Tigers launched him and 171 days after the Yankees minimize ties, DeJong stays a free agent.

The 33-year-old infielder didn’t play a single main league sport in 2026, and a season-ending hamstring damage leaves open when, the place and whether or not he returns. DeJong performed his final MLB sport on Sept. 26, 2025, for the Washington Nationals. That was 388 days in the past, as of in the present day, Oct. 19, 2026.

The Yankees launched DeJong after he exercised an opt-out clause in his minor league contract, in response to MLB Commerce Rumors. New York had signed him in January as infield depth whereas Anthony Volpe recovered from shoulder surgical procedure.

DeJong hit .203/.361/.516 with six house runs and 16 walks towards 18 strikeouts in 23 video games for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, in response to CBS Sports activities. Jose Caballero, Oswaldo Cabrera and Max Schuemann all held 40-man roster spots, leaving DeJong no actual path to an enormous league promotion.

Detroit signed him 4 days later, on Might 5, in response to the New York Publish’s Jon Heyman. The minor league deal included a prorated $1 million base wage within the majors, in response to USA At present’s Bob Nightengale.

However DeJong by no means obtained to Detroit.

He performed six video games for the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens, then limped across the bases whereas scoring a run on Might 12, his final look of the season, in response to MLB Commerce Rumors. The Mud Hens shut him down for the yr, and Heyman reported a hamstring damage that required surgical procedure. Toledo launched him Might 25, in response to MLB.com.

Paul DeJong’s Profession Background and All-Star Season

DeJong was born Aug. 2, 1993, in Orlando, Florida, and attended Antioch Group Excessive College in Illinois earlier than enrolling at Illinois State. He joined the Redbirds as a walk-on.

The Pittsburgh Pirates drafted him as a catcher within the thirty eighth spherical in 2014, however DeJong handed on signing and returned to Illinois State for his redshirt junior season, in response to MLB.com. The St. Louis Cardinals then took him within the fourth spherical, 131st general, in 2015.

He debuted Might 28, 2017, and homered in his first plate look (the ninth Cardinals participant to do it). DeJong completed that yr with 25 house runs and positioned second to Cody Bellinger in Nationwide League Rookie of the Yr voting.

In 2019, he grew to become the Cardinals’ lone All-Star. He hit 30 house runs with 78 RBI and led all main league shortstops in fielding share at .989.

Throughout 9 seasons with the Cardinals, Blue Jays, Giants, White Sox, Royals and Nationals, DeJong owns a .229/.294/.416 line with 146 house runs in 925 video games. A fastball fractured his nostril in 2025, and he completed that yr with Washington at .228/.269/.373 with six homers in 57 video games.

Paul DeJong’s Retirement Standing and 2027 Outlook

No retirement announcement has surfaced. DeJong seems among the many shortstops within the 2026-27 free agent class, in response to MLB.com’s free agent rankings. He first grew to become a free agent Nov. 2, 2025, after his stint in Washington.

MLB Commerce Rumors wrote {that a} wholesome DeJong ought to discover one other minor league deal for 2027, pointing to his house run energy and his potential to play a number of infield spots. Because the begin of 2022, he has struck out in 32.1% of his 1,327 plate appearances whereas hitting 50 homers.

RotoWire stated a lot the identical about DeJong. Count on curiosity, with a minor league contract doubtless earlier than the 2027 season opens.

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