Yankees Cut Jacoby Ellsbury With $26 Million Left In Contract, MLB Fans On Twitter Celebrate

The New York Yankees are officially done with Jacoby Ellsbury. 

The team on Wednesday released the 36-year-old All-Star center fielder, who still has $26 million remaining on his seven-year, $153 million deal. The Yankees also released oft-injured first baseman Greg Bird this week.

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Ellsbury, who was often injured throughout his career, last played in 2017 and spent four seasons with the Bronx Bombers. According to ESPN, the Yankees cut the outfielder to clear a spot on their 40-man roster, since the team added seven players to shield themselves against the upcoming Rule 5 draft. Ellsbury is till owed roughly $21 million for next season — in addition to a $5 million buyout of a club option for 2021 — per ESPN.

Ellsbury enjoyed a strong first season with New York in 2014, when he finished 271/.328/.419 with 16 homers and 39 stolen bases. However, he struggled after that and sustained multiple injuries, including an oblique muscle in his right side, back problems and hip issues.  Ellsbury had much greater success in his first seven MLB seasons, which he spent with the Boston Red Sox. The outfielder logged a .297 career average, 65 homers, 314 RBIs and 241 stolen bases during his time in Boston, where he also earned several accolades and helped lead the Red Sox to two World Series titles. In 2011 alone, Ellsbury won a Gold Glove Award, a Silver Slugger Award and was named the American League Comeback Player of the Year.

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Fans on Twitter were quick to comment on the news of Ellsbury’s release by mocking the outfielder as forgettable and saying things like “good riddance.” It’s clear that many MLB fans believe Ellsbury was not worth the giant contract the Yankees signed him to: