Philippe Aumont’s Return to Baseball Isn’t What It Seems
Former MLB pitcher Philippe Aumont isn’t actually making a comeback to the majors. Initially, his name popped up in the Blue Jays’ transaction logs, suggesting he had signed a minor league deal. This comes six years after he stepped away from baseball to become a full-time farmer.
However, it turns out that Aumont’s “return” was merely an administrative step to allow him to play for Canada in this year’s World Baseball Classic.
Having voluntarily retired after the 2020 season with the Blue Jays, Aumont needed to be officially registered and released from the list to participate in the tournament.
This marks Aumont’s fourth appearance in the World Baseball Classic, having previously participated in 2009, 2013, and 2023.
Even though he was able to throw a fastball clocking in at 92 mph during the 2023 tournament, Aumont made it clear that he wasn’t looking to return to the MLB. “After this, I’d like to leave baseball in a place where I can still throw a little bit,” he stated. He added that if he got called again, it wouldn’t be too challenging to come back.
“I definitely want to keep throwing,” he said. “I have no interest in going anywhere else. But I think I’m good enough to help in some way and bring experience.”
Drafted 11th overall by the Mariners in 2007, Aumont was later traded to the Phillies in a major deal that sent Cliff Lee to Seattle. Standing at 6-foot-7 and weighing 265 pounds, he pitched parts of four seasons with the Phillies, recording a 6.80 ERA across 46 games. He went on to have stints with the Blue Jays, Tigers, and White Sox after the 2015 season.
In 2020, he joined the Blue Jays again on a minor league contract, but the cancellation of the minor league season due to the pandemic prompted him to retire and focus on farming.
“It has meaning. I want to experience nature. I want to learn about animals and growing vegetables and fruit trees,” Aumont reflected in an interview. He described how the pandemic made him want to engage with nature and step away from the negativity surrounding the city at that time.
“Baseball has been great. I’m so grateful for what it has provided me. But when the pandemic hit, I felt the need to start doing something meaningful.”
