In 1991, Abbott went 18–11 for the Angels, who finished in last place in the AL West with an 81–81 record. He posted the fourth-lowest ERA in the AL (2.89) while pitching 243 innings. As a result, he finished third in the AL Cy Young Award voting.[4] In the 1992 season, he posted a 2.77 ERA (fifth-lowest in the AL) but his win–loss record fell to 7–15 for the sixth-place Angels.[4] He also won the Tony Conigliaro Award in 1992.
In the offseason, the Angels attempted to trim payroll and traded Abbott to the New York Yankees for their top minor league prospect first baseman J.T. Snow, and pitchers Russ Springer and Jerry Nielsen.[7] He had an up and down year for the Yankees but on September 4, 1993, Abbott pitched a no-hitter against the Cleveland Indians.[8] On November 26 in the same year, he appeared as himself on the TV series Boy Meets World in the episode "Class Pre-Union".
Abbott re-signed with the Angels for the 1996 season. He struggled through it,[10] posting a 2–18 record with a 7.48 ERA. The Angels released him before Opening Day of the 1997 season, and he retired.[11]
Abbott returned to the White Sox in 1998, starting five games and winning all five. He continued his comeback the following year with the Milwaukee Brewers, but pitched ineffectively. This was the first time he had played for a National League team, forcing him to bat for the first time in his career. He recorded two hits in 21 at bats during his Brewers stint. Both of his hits scored runs, and both hits came off Chicago Cubs pitcher Jon Lieber, albeit in different games.
Abbott retired after the 1999 season with a career record of 87–108, with a 4.25 ERA.
Playing with one hand
When preparing to pitch the ball, Abbott would rest his glove on the end of his right forearm. After releasing the ball, he would quickly slip his hand into the glove, usually in time to field any balls that a two-handed pitcher would be able to field. Then he would secure the glove between his right forearm and torso, slip his hand out of it, and remove the ball from it, usually in time to throw out the runner at first or sometimes even start a double play. At all levels, teams tried to exploit his fielding disadvantage by repeatedly bunting to him.[12]
Batting was not an issue for Abbott for the majority of his career, since the American League used the designated hitter, and he played only two seasons in the interleague play era. But he tripled in a spring training game in 1991 off Rick Reuschel,[13] and when he joined the National League's Milwaukee Brewers in 1999, he had two hits in 21 at-bats, both off Jon Lieber.[14][15]New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera claimed to have witnessed Abbott hitting home runs during batting practice.[16]
His disability inspired him to work harder than most. "As a kid I really wanted to fit in," Abbott says on his website about growing up with a disability. "Sports became a way for me to gain acceptance. I think this fueled my desire to succeed. I truly believe that difficult times and disappointments can push us to find abilities and strengths we wouldn't know existed without the experience of struggle."[17]
Awards
1986 – Abbott was presented with the United States Sports Academy's Mildred "Babe" Didrikson Zaharias Courage Award for his courageous action in overcoming adversity to excel in sports.[18]
1992 – Abbott was awarded the Tony Conigliaro Award, given annually by the Boston Red Sox to a Major League player who overcomes an obstacle and adversity through the attributes of spirit, determination, and courage that were trademarks of the Boston star.[19]
In April 2012, Abbott's autobiography, Imperfect: An Improbable Life (ISBN0345523253), co-written with Tim Brown, was published by Ballantine Books.[22]
