The Cleveland Indians have hired Grady Sizmore as a player development advisor, the team confirmed through social media.
Sizemore spent the first eight years of his career with the Indians as one of the game’s shining young stars. Just when he seemed to be entering his prime — a 7.4 fWAR season in 2008 — injury after injury derailed his career. After averaging 160 games over his first four full seasons with the Tribe (including a 382-game streak), he played in just 210 total in his final three seasons.
Sizemore signed a contract with the Indians in 2012, but another series of injuries prevented him ever appearing in a game. He was out of baseball for the entire 2013 season before making a comeback attempt with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2014. He also played with the Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays before his final game in October 2015.
Between 2005 and 2008, only three players had a higher fWAR than Sizemore: Albert Pujols, Chase Utley, and Alex Rodriguez.