Trey Mancini received a standing ovation and a standing ovation from both shelters on Sunday during his first live show after missing the 2020 season while recovering from stage 3 colon cancer.
When the Baltimore Orioles’ first baseman appeared in the first round against the Pittsburgh Pirates, he received a big round of applause as he approached the scout’s area and waved to the crowd. The applause continued to grow, with pitcher Chad Kuhl exiting the mound and referee Will Little clearing his plate to prolong the salute.
After opening his cap in thanks to the applause, Mancini punctuated his return with a single to the center.
“It was incredible,” Mancini told reporters when asked about the ovation. “I almost cried a little, I’m not going to lie, when I was up there and everyone applauded me standing and I saw all the guys on the field applauding the Pirates, clapping on the bench, our team and all our fans. It meant a lot to me. It was a very, very cool moment and one of the favorite moments of my baseball career.
“I think it was a great day for me, personally, to return to the game. Just another type of milestone that I can mark here.”
After producing 35 home runs and 97 RBIs for the Orioles in 2019, Mancini seemed prepared for even bigger things. But after playing just five spring training games last year, he needed to end his season for colon cancer surgery.
“It was almost a year when I was last in a game, so it definitely felt like a time when we closed the circle a bit,” said Mancini, who turns 29 in just a few weeks, he said on Sunday. “I thought more about everything that happened today than in a long time. Most of the time, I tried in many ways just to move on and not think too much about last year. But today I went through all the difficult days that we enjoyed and really tried appreciate and cherish today. ”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.