Clint Frazier ‘wanted to beat the odds’ by earning a starting spot in Yankees roster

Yankees left defenseman Clint frazier will get his first start on Matchday 1 against the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday, and he told reporters on Wednesday how much that has meant for him after the past few seasons.

“Yeah, you know, I think something that went with all the ups and downs, I had a lot of bitterness sometimes,” Frazier said. “I wanted, sometimes I was like, ‘Am I going to play here or am I going to play somewhere else?’ But in my heart and in my head, I wanted it to be here because I wanted to beat all the odds. Not that I’m saying I had a lot of chances against me, but I wanted to get over it. I didn’t want to be somewhere else and not be able to say like, “Hey, I came by, I finally got what I wanted”.

“I feel really good to know that right now I’ve finally put myself in a position where I don’t have to look over my shoulder every second and wonder if I’m going to play tomorrow or the next day. I hope I take it. in stride. “

The 26-year-old was selected with the fifth pick in the 2013 MLB Entry Draft by the Cleveland Indians. Since its acquisition by the Yanks in exchange for Andrew Miller As of the July 31, 2016 deadline, he has yet to settle into a permanent role in the roster.

Frazier expressed his enthusiasm for playing at Yankee Stadium on Thursday, mentioning that he might be a little nervous, but saw it as a good thing.

“I mean probably, but overall I wouldn’t say a ton (of nerves). I think it’s just going to be a lot of excitement. So yeah, good nerves,” Frazier said.

The Yankees have one of the strongest formations in baseball with slugger after slugger. Giancarlo Stanton and Judge Aaron the two have hit more than 50 home runs in a previous season, while Luke You led the MLB with 22 HR in the shortened 2020 season.

Frazier would go on to say he’s comfortable at bat anywhere this manager Aaron Boone puts it on, knowing what other party members may be doing on the plate.

“I would say not too many other teams that I would love to possibly hit ninth for,” Frazier said. “It’s a lineup that’s so deep that I’m great at hitting wherever I am in this lineup because the guys and what they’ve been doing in the last few years to be in this lineup. It’s a lot of power. fire. Like I told someone the other day, I don’t know how we got every player that hits the ball 500 feet. “