THIS is what progress looks like.
Amazing article by @sportsillustrated on the THREAD that is: more & more players sharing their MH challenges – even taking time away from the sport to get themselves healthy. I read the stories below & instead of thinking about the games they missed, I think about the tragedies that may have been avoided.
Look at this progress! The friggin’ title of the article is beautiful: Stepping Away, Personal Reasons, 4 Players (not just one “train wreck” story), Mental Health & not Mental Illness or Disorder labels. This is HUGE for normalizing the convo.
The players referenced: the Rays Ryan Sherriff, Angels pitcher Ty Buttrey, Chris Devenski of the Diamondbacks, & Phillies outfielder Adam Haseley, all left baseball for short or extended periods within weeks of one another. Did you hear about that thread anywhere but in this article from SI?
The article also references how last September shortstop Andrelton Simmons, left the Angels to deal w his MH before joining the Twins for the 2021 season, & how Rockies outfielder Ian Desmond, opted out of last season & this season, forgoing $13.56 million in salary, to be with his family.
There are even more stories shared in this article, but they are shared from the angle of the common lived experiences, the stressors, the traumas, the effects on personal lives, & NOT the labels alone. We wish all these players well. This is a great piece of reporting. This is great progress. We need more of this!
