Greg Bird’s 2019 isn’t quite over.
The injury-plagued first baseman returned to action in the Dominican Republic on Tuesday night, going 0-for-3 with a walk in his debut with Gigantes del Cibao.
It was Bird’s first game since April 13. He missed most of the season with plantar fasciitis, playing just 10 games.
Bird said in a text message that it was his idea to play in the Dominican Winter League after being out for so long. He expects to be there “about a month and playing first base and hitting.”
Bird’s future with the Yankees is unclear. He made $1.2 million this season and stands to earn a slight raise in 2020, but the Yankees could non-tender him to open up a spot on the 40-man roster.
The 26-year-old Bird has not been able to stay on the field due to a litany of ankle and foot issues, as well as the shoulder injury that sidelined him in 2016.
But the Yankees are far from set at first base, with Luke Voit dealing with a sports hernia that helped keep him off the postseason roster, along with Mike Ford and Bird as options — in addition to DJ LeMahieu, who served as the everyday first baseman in the playoffs.
The Yankees signed LeMahieu last year with the idea of taking advantage of his versatility in the infield, playing first, second and third.
Whether the Yankees decide to keep Bird is one of the decisions they will have to make this offseason.
— Additional reporting by George A. King III in Houston