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Yankees release Jacoby Ellsbury, designate Greg Bird for assignment

League Championship Series - New York Yankees v Houston Astros - Game One

HOUSTON, TX - OCTOBER 13: Greg Bird #33 celebrates his solo homerun with Jacoby Ellsbury #22 of the New York Yankees in the ninth inning against the Houston Astros during game one of the American League Championship Series at Minute Maid Park on October 13, 2017 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

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The Yankees announced some stunning news on Wednesday: outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury has been released and first baseman Greg Bird was designated for assignment. In doing so, the Yankees opened up a couple of spots on the 40-man roster, which allows them to protect some younger players from the Rule 5 draft.

The news is stunning, though not surprising -- one just didn’t expect Ellsbury and Bird’s tenures to end so unceremoniously. Ellsbury hasn’t played since 2017 due to injuries. He is owed $21.1 million for the 2020 season plus a $5 million buyout in 2021.

Ellsbury, 36, was a big free agent get for the Yankees ahead of the 2014 season, inking a seven-year, $153 million contract. Along with injuries, he underperformed, batting a meager .264/.330/.386 with an aggregate 9.8 WAR, according to Baseball Reference, from 2014-17.

Bird, 27, debuted with a lot of hype in 2015, mashing 11 home runs in 46 games as a 22-year-old. He, too, missed lots of time in recent years due to injuries. He ends his Yankees tenure with a .725 OPS and 0.1 WAR across 186 games spanning parts of four seasons.

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