Lorenzo Cain said he stepped away from Brewers in part to grow his faith
One month ago, Brewers outfielder Lorenzo Cain decided to opt out of the 2020 season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Last week, Cain talked with media members who cover the Brewers and said the choice has weighed on his mind.
“It really hurt me. It hurt me to leave,” Cain told reporters, per MLB.com. “Honestly, that’s all I’ve been thinking about. I honestly have been thinking about opting back in; I wish I could sometimes. But at the end of the day, I know what I need to do, not only for myself, but for my family.”
Cain, the former Royals star, revealed that the pandemic was actually just part of the reason why he needed to take time off. He also wanted to grow his faith.
“This lifestyle and everything that’s going on in 2020 has definitely opened my eyes, so I felt the need to opt out — not only for the COVID reasons, but also trying to get my life right with God,” Cain said, per the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
“I’d put God on the back burner. And with this lifestyle and everything that’s going on, I decided to seek God and get closer to God. That’s just something I felt like I needed to do not only for myself but for my family as well. This year has been crazy. It’s been a tough year. I’m definitely at a loss for words with all the things going on right now.”
The Wisconsin State-Journal noted that Cain is home with his wife, Jenny, and their three sons: 7-year-old Cameron, 4-year-old Jayden and 3-year-old Landyn.
“We’re all sitting down and trying to educate each other on different situations and different things,” Cain told the media. “I think we’re all growing as a whole. Definitely hoping that this all gets better, that everybody grows from this and all of this stops someday.”
Cain told reporters he was happy his Brewers teammates opted not to play following the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
“They’re sticking up, they’re doing what’s right and for me, this is about right and wrong,” Cain said, per the Journal Sentinel.
“Systemic change needs to happen. We need to get there soon because this world is definitely on a downward spiral, if I say so myself. All the looting, the violence, I definitely don’t condone that. But the things you’re seeing day in and day out, it’s hard to put into words sometimes.
“I have kids myself, and it’s hard to keep stuff like that from them as they get older. It’s been a tough year but I’m proud of what my teammates are doing in Milwaukee.”
This story was originally published September 1, 2020 at 8:34 AM.
