Phillip Aumont Makes Return to Baseball
Here’s a fascinating story about a remarkable comeback.
Phillip Aumont, a right-handed pitcher who stepped away from baseball to embrace farming after the 2020 season, has come out of retirement to sign a minor league contract with the Blue Jays, as noted in the team’s transaction log.
At 37 years old and hailing from Gatineau, Quebec, Aumont aims to rejuvenate his career with the reigning American League champions, more than a decade since his last major league appearance.
He’ll also be representing Canada in the upcoming World Baseball Classic, marking his fourth time on the national team.
After the cancellation of the entire minor league season due to COVID-19, Aumont sought solace in nature and stepped away from baseball to connect with the world around him.
“It meant a lot. I wanted to immerse myself in nature, learn about animals, grow vegetables, and tend to fruit trees,” Aumont shared during an interview, reflecting on his decision to retire six years ago. “The endless possibilities on the farm are truly priceless to me.”
“Baseball has opened many doors for me and I’m incredibly grateful for that. But when the pandemic hit, I felt the impact on our city. I needed a change, a way to reconnect with nature and distance myself from negativity,” he explained.
Aumont had a brief return to the mound during the 2023 WBC against Canada, where he clocked a fastball at 92 mph, but he mentioned at the time that a full-time return to baseball wasn’t on his radar.
Once viewed as a promising talent, this towering 6-foot-7, 265-pound pitcher was selected by the Mariners as the 11th overall pick in the 2007 MLB Draft.
Two years later, he was traded to the Phillies in a significant deal that involved ace Cliff Lee moving to the Mariners.
Aumont made his MLB debut in August 2012 and played parts of four seasons with the Phillies, appearing in 46 major league games with a 6.80 ERA and 42 strikeouts over 43 2/3 innings.
After that, he cycled through minor league contracts with the White Sox, Tigers, and Blue Jays, and he also played in the Canadian American Professional Baseball Association.
While a return to the majors might seem challenging after ten years away, Aumont adds valuable experience to a Blue Jays pitching staff that is currently dealing with various injuries at the start of spring training.
Start pitcher Beauden Francis will miss the entire 2026 season due to necessary surgery, while fellow right-hander Shane Bieber is anticipated to sit out the beginning of the season due to a forearm strain.
