Grady Sizemore facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Grady Sizemore |
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Sizemore with the Cleveland Indians in 2011
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| Chicago White Sox – No. 24 | |||
| Center fielder / Coach / Manager | |||
| Born: August 2, 1982 Seattle, Washington, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| July 21, 2004, for the Cleveland Indians | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 3, 2015, for the Tampa Bay Rays | |||
| MLB statistics (through September 29, 2024) |
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| Batting average | .265 | ||
| Home runs | 150 | ||
| Runs batted in | 518 | ||
| Managerial record | 13–32 | ||
| Winning % | .289 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Grady Sizemore, born on August 2, 1982, is an American former professional baseball center fielder. He also worked as a coach and was an interim manager for the Chicago White Sox. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cleveland Indians from 2004 to 2011. After dealing with injuries, he returned in 2014 with the Boston Red Sox. He then played for the Philadelphia Phillies and finished his playing career with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2015.
Sizemore was a very talented player. He was chosen for the MLB All-Star team three times. He also won the Gold Glove Award twice for being an excellent fielder. In 2008, he won a Silver Slugger Award for his hitting. After his playing days, he joined the coaching staff of the Chicago White Sox in 2024. He even became their interim manager for a short time that same year.
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Early Life and Sports Talents
Grady Sizemore was born in Seattle, Washington. He grew up to be a fantastic athlete. He went to Cascade High School in Everett, Washington, and graduated in 2000.
In high school, Grady was a star in three sports: football, basketball, and baseball. He was so good at football that he became Cascade's all-time leader in rushing yards, with 3,081 yards! He even planned to play both football and baseball at the University of Washington. Grady was also a great student, graduating with a high GPA.
Grady Sizemore's Baseball Journey
Starting in the Minors
The Montreal Expos baseball team picked Grady Sizemore in the third round of the 2000 MLB draft. They offered him a large signing bonus of $2 million to convince him to play professional baseball instead of going to college. Grady accepted the offer.
In 2002, the Expos traded Sizemore to the Cleveland Indians. This trade also involved other players like Cliff Lee and Brandon Phillips. This move set the stage for Grady's big league career with the Indians.
Playing for the Cleveland Indians
Making His MLB Debut
Grady Sizemore got his first chance to play in the major leagues on July 21, 2004. He made his debut against the Chicago White Sox. He played as a defensive replacement in center field. For the rest of that season, he hit .246 with four home runs and 24 RBI in 43 games.
Becoming a Star Player
In 2005, Grady played his first full season in the majors. He quickly showed everyone he was a rising star. He was supposed to start the season in Triple-A, which is a lower league. But an injury to another player, Juan González, meant Grady got a spot on the Cleveland team. He soon became the leadoff hitter, meaning he was the first batter in the lineup.
Grady became one of only two players in Cleveland's history to have 20 doubles, 10 triples, 20 home runs, and 20 stolen bases in the same season. He finished 2005 hitting .289 with 22 home runs, 81 RBI, and 22 stolen bases.
All-Star Seasons (2006-2008)
Before the 2006 season, Sizemore signed a big contract with the Indians. It was worth $23.45 million over six years. In 2006, he was chosen for his first All-Star Game. He played in all 162 games that year, hitting .290 with 28 home runs. He led the major leagues with 53 doubles and 134 runs scored. He was only the second player in MLB history to have at least 50 doubles, 10 triples, 25 home runs, and 20 stolen bases in one season.
In 2007, Grady started strong, hitting four home runs in his first six games. He was named to his second All-Star team. He hit .277 with 24 home runs and 78 RBI, and stole 33 bases. He also played in his first postseason games. On November 6, he won his first Gold Glove Award for being an amazing fielder in center field.
In 2008, Grady continued his success. He hit his 20th home run and stole his 20th base, making it his fourth straight year with at least 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases. He was the only player in the American League to do this from 2005 to 2008. He was named to the All-Star team for the third year in a row.
On August 25, 2008, Grady hit his 30th and 31st home runs of the season. This made him the 32nd player to join the 30–30 club, which means hitting 30 home runs and stealing 30 bases in one season. He finished 2008 with a .268 average, 33 home runs, 90 RBI, and 38 stolen bases. He won his second straight Gold Glove and his first Silver Slugger Award for his great hitting.
Battling Injuries (2009-2013)
Starting in 2009, Grady Sizemore faced many injuries. He had surgery on his left elbow and then on his lower abdomen for a hernia. These injuries kept him from playing a full season. In 2010, he played only 33 games before needing surgery on his left knee.
He tried to come back in 2011, but more knee injuries and another hernia surgery kept him off the field. The Indians decided not to offer him a contract for 2012. He then had more surgeries on his back and right knee. Because of these injuries, he did not play in any games during the 2012 and 2013 seasons.
Comeback with Other Teams
Boston Red Sox
On January 22, 2014, Grady Sizemore signed with the Boston Red Sox. He worked hard in spring training and became the team's starting center fielder for Opening Day. He hit a home run in his first game with the Red Sox. However, his time with the team was short. He played in 52 games, hitting .216, before the Red Sox released him in June 2014.
Philadelphia Phillies
Soon after, on June 24, 2014, Sizemore signed a minor league deal with the Philadelphia Phillies. He was called up to the Phillies' main team in July. On July 25, he got his 1,000th career hit! He played well enough that the Phillies signed him for the 2015 season. But in May 2015, he was released by the Phillies after playing 39 games.
Tampa Bay Rays
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On June 15, 2015, Grady signed with the Tampa Bay Rays. He played 57 games with them, hitting .257 with six home runs. After the 2015 season, he became a free agent and did not play baseball in 2016.
Life After Playing Baseball
After his playing career, Grady Sizemore stayed involved in baseball. In 2017, the Cleveland Indians hired him as a special advisor to their player development team. He later stepped away from this role to spend more time with his young children.
In 2023, Grady took an internship with the Arizona Diamondbacks baseball team. He wanted to learn more about how a team's front office works. After that, in 2024, the Chicago White Sox hired him to their coaching staff.
On August 8, 2024, the White Sox named Grady Sizemore their interim manager. This meant he was in charge of the team for the rest of the season. The team had a tough year, but they finished strong, winning 5 of their last 6 games under Grady. For the 2025 season, he was named the White Sox Offensive Coordinator, helping the team's hitters.
Personal Life
Grady Sizemore is married to his wife, Brittany. They have three children together. The family lives in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Images for kids
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Sizemore with the Cleveland Indians in 2011
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Grady Sizemore signing autographs in 2006
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Grady Sizemore with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2015
