The Los Angeles Dodgers have extended Andrew Toles’ contract for a sixth consecutive year, demonstrating ongoing support for the former outfielder amidst his ongoing battle with mental illness.
Toles, who last played in Major League Baseball in 2018, has been on the Dodgers’ restricted list since March 2019 due to his struggles with mental health. He was later diagnosed with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.
While it’s improbable that Toles will return to play for the Dodgers, the team continues to renew his contract at $0 to ensure he maintains access to their health insurance for treatment of his bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.
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This week, the Dodgers reaffirmed their commitment to Toles by extending his contract for another year, enabling him to access the team’s insurance coverage once again.
The Georgia native, who appeared in 96 games for the Dodgers from 2016 to 2018, was discovered homeless near an airport in Key West, Florida, in 2020.
His father, Alvin Toles, disclosed his son’s bipolar and schizophrenia diagnosis to USA Today the following year.
‘We are having challenges,’ Alvin Toles told USA Today. ‘But nothing that God and I can’t handle.
Alvin described his son’s condition as resembling a “zombie-like” state, while Andrew’s sister mentioned that he has been in over 20 mental health facilities since 2019.
After his arrest in 2020, Alvin gained legal guardianship of Andrew and brought him back to their hometown in Fairburn, Georgia.
MLB teams have the authority to renew the contracts of players who are not eligible for arbitration each spring.
The restricted list allows teams to retain a player’s rights without including them in the active roster limits.
Toles initially debuted in the majors with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2012 but gained prominence during the Dodgers’ postseason run in 2016, where he contributed significantly despite the team’s eventual loss to the Chicago Cubs in the National League Championship Series.
