Giant outfielder Drew Robinson and the Andrelton Simmons short, Twins, revealed this week to Jeff Passan of ESPN and Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register, respectively. MLBTR encourages you to read both stories in full.
Robinson, who would then enter his first season in the San Francisco organization, told Passan that he attempted suicide with a gun last April. Robinson was still alive 20 hours later and decided he wanted to live. While Passan writes that the shot left Robinson’s right eye “irreparable”, Passan explains that doctors are surprised that it did not cause further damage. Robinson has since undergone four surgeries and received a prosthetic eye.
“It represents my new perspective on life,” Robinson told Passan. “Even though I have one eye less, I have never seen how clear things are in my life.”
Neither Robinson nor the Giants gave up his biggest league career. The Giants re-signed Robinson during the fall for a minor agreement, and baseball president Farhan Zaidi told Passan: “We are proud that he is a giant, and we are excited to see him compete for a job in the camp.”
Simmons, formerly an angel who signed with the Twins last week, chose the final week of the 2020 season. He explained to Fletcher that concerns about his mental health caused the decision.
“It was mentally difficult for me where the thought of suicide came to me,” Simmons wrote to Fletcher. “It was something I promised a long time ago and I would never consider it again. I was happy to talk to a therapist, who helped me let go of those thoughts. In the end, when many people were still going through the difficult times, the idea of finishing the season in a bubble was too much for me to handle. ”
MLBTR salutes Robinson and Simmons for sharing their stories, and we wish the best of luck to the two and all who are dealing with mental health issues or are currently struggling. We also encourage those with suicidal thoughts to seek help by contacting the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or by sending TALK to 741741.