Less than 24 hours after saying he was stepping away from baseball, Yermin Mercedes was in uniform for the White Sox’ Triple-A Charlotte Knights for their game in Durham, N.C., on Thursday.
On his Instagram account Wednesday Mercedes, who was demoted from the major league club to Charlotte after falling into a prolonged hitting slump, was quitting. On his Instagram Thursday, Mercedes declared, “I’m back.”
Sox manager Tony La Russa was probably not surprised.
“Kind of understand, you’re in Triple-A, had a taste of the big leagues, and you can get emotional,” La Russa said Wednesday after hearing the news. “I’ll reach out to him.
“It could be just a little frustration. I’ll explain to him that he has a big-league future.”
Apparently it was just that. Mercedes apologized for his actions Thursday.
“I will never give up,” Mercedes posted. “I lasted 10 years in the minor leagues. My dream is to be a player established in the big leagues.
“I apologize.”
A defensively challenged catcher used as a designated hitter after making the major league roster out of spring training, Mercedes got his chance to play because of Eloy Jimenez’ injury and took the major leagues by storm, going 8-for-8 to start the season, earning American League Rookie of the Month honors for April and national attention. The 5-11, 245-pound 28-year-old rookie enjoyed instant fame — he had a hamburger named after him by a local restaurant — but slumped terribly in the second half of May and June and was optioned to Charlotte on July 2.
In 15 games, Mercedes was batting .298/.365/.632 with four home runs at Charlotte and probably thought he would return to the Sox when catcher Yasmani Grandal went on the injured list two weeks ago, but the Sox called up light-hitting Seby Zavala because of his superior defensive and game-calling skill.
“You go to Triple-A, it’s an adjustment,” La Russa said. “You’ve got to figure out a way to tough it out.”
