‘I’m back.’ Yermín Mercedes un-retires less than 24 hours after leaving baseball

That didn’t last long.

Less than 24 hours after announcing on Instagram that he would be stepping away from baseball “indefinitely,” Chicago White Sox and Charlotte Knights catcher Yermín Mercedes took to the platform again, posting a photo of a phoenix to announce that he won’t be retiring after all.

“I’m never going to give up,” Mercedes began the post. “I lasted 10 years in the minor leagues. I have always understood that the process is big, but my talent and what I have shown speak for themselves. I am speaking from my heart with the greatest humility — my dream is to be an established player in the major leagues.”

Mercedes had announced his departure from baseball around 11 p.m. Wednesday, posting about “el retiro” on his Instagram story then posting a longer paragraph that ended with “it’s over.”

His comments about his return to baseball shed light on his initial decision to step away. The posts suggest his dismay stemmed from being sent back down to the minor leagues in July after one of the hottest starts in major league history.

“I have always asked God to give me the opportunity that he gave me three months ago, and I am in debt to Him,” Mercedes wrote. “To my family, to my organization and to my fans, I ask for your forgiveness if I failed in any way. Baseball is in my blood.”

After an 8-for-8 start over his first eight plate appearances in the majors, Mercedes cooled off, hitting .150 over his last 31 games. One of those games saw him hit a home run off a position player in the ninth inning of a blowout win, drawing criticism from White Sox manager Tony La Russa.

In July, Mercedes was demoted to Triple-A Charlotte, where he became one of the team’s most productive hitters, batting .298 since he arrived — making his “retirement” all the more surprising.

He didn’t seem to have any doubts in Thursday’s post, though. Beyond just words, he is also in uniform for Charlotte’s road game against the Durham Bulls.

“God bless y’all,” Mercedes ended the post. “I love everybody, I’m back.”