According to ESPN, Mancini “miss(ed) the 2020 season while recovering from Stage 3 colon cancer”.
After the road to recovery, his journey led him to February 28, 2021, where Mancini would step up to the plate.
Mancini’s first at-bat? A base hit!
With all the steps it took on this road to recovery, Mancini saw this as a “really big step”.
“I think it was a huge day for me, personally, getting back in a game,” Mancini said as transcribed by ESPN. “Just another kind of milestone that I can check off here.”
Mancini: “It feels great to be back!”
Thank you @Orioles and @Pirates for making yesterday so special. And thank you to everyone who has reached out to me over the past day. It feels great to be back!
“It’s almost a year to the day when I was last in a game, so it definitely felt like a moment where we came full circle a little bit,” Mancini said per ESPN. “I thought more about everything that happened today than I have in a long time. I’ve mostly tried to in a lot of ways just move on and not think too much about last year. But today I ran through all the tough days that we had and really tried to appreciate and cherish today.”
Not only did Mancini fight through real adversity thrown his way, he was acknowledged by the fans, his team, and the team they were playing, the Pirates. After stepping up to the plate, everyone paused and gave Trey a standing ovation.
“It was a really, really cool moment and one of the favorite moments of my baseball career,” Mancini said per ESPN.
“It was amazing,” Mancini said via ESPN. “I almost teared up a little bit, I’m not going to lie, when I was up there and everybody gave me a standing ovation and I saw all the guys on the field clapping on the Pirates, clapping in the dugout, our team and all our fans. It meant the world to me.”
Just wanted to reiterate how grateful I am for everyone during this time. Looking forward to seeing you all soon. For now, stay safe and healthy! pic.twitter.com/822b4Lqf74
Rest In Peace, my friend. Your kindness, bravery, and positivity has left a lasting impact on all of us who were lucky enough to have met you. You have truly made this world a better place. We love you, Mo. pic.twitter.com/QzXMFFyG5S
I couldnβt have gotten through the past few months without Sara and the rest of my family. They give me the fight I need each day to face my challenges and push through. Thanks @PlayersTribune@ModeloUSA for allowing me to share my journey. #ModeloPartnerpic.twitter.com/H76dmHu5y2
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