Shortstop Andrelton Simmons says that depression and thoughts of suicide led to his decision to opt out during the last week of the Los Angeles Angels' 2020 regular season, telling the Orange County Register that "the idea of finishing the season in a bubble was too much for me to handle."
Simmons, who recently finalized a one-year, $10.5 million contract with the Minnesota Twins, chose to share his story in writing, through a series of Twitter direct messages, instead of verbally, because "it is still difficult to articulate certain things or be open.