The reason for Derek Jeter skipping this year’s Yankees Old-Timers’ Day has been revealed.
WFAN Yankees voice Suzyn Waldman said Wednesday that Jeter, 51, won’t be at the Aug. 9 festivities — which will honor the 2000 World Series team — because of his daughter’s birthday.
“They’re having a big party for her,” Waldman told Brandon Tierney.
Jeter’s oldest daughter, Bella Raine, was born on Aug. 17, 2017. He and wife Hannah have three daughters and a son.
“You couldn’t have the birthday party on a different day?” Tierney asked Waldman.
“At this point, he’s 25 years removed from it and it’s his daughter’s birthday and maybe he doesn’t want to go home and have his daughter crying. I don’t know,” Waldman replied. “I don’t think it has anything to do with that he didn’t want to play a game. I don’t think that at all.”
The Yankees are bringing back a baseball game as part of Old-Timers’ Day for the first time since 2019.
Boomer Esiason criticized Jeter on his WFAN show on Tuesday for not showing up this year.
“It’s a little bit insulting … I think he should be there, he should be a part of it,” Esiason said on “Boomer and Gio” on Tuesday. “It seems elitist to me.”
Jeter said at last year’s Old-Timers’ Day that he would not partake in a game; he has appeared at two Old-Timers’ Days, both times featuring Q&As.
“They’re not gonna see me hit again. No, I would be afraid I would hurt myself,” Jeter said at the time. “But that’s not saying the reason there’s no game is because I’m not playing. I don’t make those decisions, contrary to your belief.”
Roger Clemens, David Justice, Alfonso Soriano and Jose Vizcaino are the scheduled first-time attendees at this year’s Old-Timers’ Day.