thereafter. One week later on May 13, the New York Mets signed Ankiel and immediately placed him into their starting lineup. He collected two hits, including a two-run homer, against the Cardinals in St. Louis on May 15. His offensive production regressed, and following an 0-for-4, three-strikeout performance against the Miami Marlins on June 8 (giving him a combined 60 strikeouts in 128 at-bats for the season), Ankiel was designated for assignment by the Mets. He became a free agent on June 13. In 45 games, he batted .188 with 7 home runs and 18 RBI and a .422 slugging percentage. Retirement Ankiel announced his retirement from Major League Baseball on March 5, 2014. On January 8, 2015, the Washington Nationals announced that they had hired Ankiel as a "Life Skills Coordinator." In this role, Ankiel mentors players both at the major league level as well as in the Nationals' farm system. In April 2017, Ankiel's memoir, The Phenomenon: Pressure, The Yips, and the Pitch that Changed My Life, was published. In August 2018, Ankiel stated that he was "toying with" the idea of possibly pitching in professional baseball again. Later that month, Ankiel announced that he was planning a return to Major League Baseball for the 2019 season as a pitcher. In October, he underwent "primary repair" surgery, an alternative to Tommy John surgery, in his pitching elbow. Ankiel officially ended his comeback attempt on July 30, 2019. He was eligible to be elected into the Hall of Fame in 2019, but received less than 5% of the vote and became ineligible for the 2020 ballot. After retiring, Ankiel became a commentator and studio analyst for Bally Sports Midwest, frequently joining Dan McLaughlin in calling Cardinals games. Personal life Ankiel lives in Jupiter, Florida with wife, Lory. They have two sons. He periodically joins Cardinals television broadcasts. In popular culture The 2016 film, The Phenom, starring Ethan Hawke, Johnny Simmons, and Paul Giamatti, is loosely based on Ankiel's personal life and professional struggles. See also List of Major League Baseball players named in the Mitchell Report Two-way player Notes External links Ankiel's Official Website Baseball Prospectus stats Rick Ankiel's page at stlcardinals.scout.com 1979 births Living people People from Fort Pierce, Florida Major League Baseball pitchers Major League Baseball center fielders St. Louis Cardinals players Kansas City Royals players Atlanta Braves players Washington Nationals players Houston Astros players New York