Matt Joyce’s 2015 season was so bad, he wondered whether he’d ever get a major league chance again.
He spent his winter in the Dominican Republic for the first time since he became an established major leaguer in 2008. He soon realized he no longer was an established major leaguer.
Even after a successful stint there, he found few offers awaiting him. His best option was to compete for Pittsburgh’s last bench spot on a minor league deal. He won that job, and has gotten on base at a superb .459 clip while starting sparingly.