Even when Greg Bird was shelved in mid-April with a torn left plantar fascia, it was very difficult to believe Mike Ford would be on the Yankees’ 40-man roster and Bird would be designated for assignment last week.
With a choice to retain one of the left-handed hitting first basemen, the Yankees went with Ford, who they got back from the Mariners after they selected him in the Rule 5 draft. The Yankees also have the right-handed Luke Voit to play first in 2020.
The move meant the Yankees had 10 days to trade or release the 27-year-old Bird.