The New York Yankees have had a rough start to the season. However, there have been some real positives but also some real negatives. We will not be covering the strikeout filled beginning of Stanton’s Yankee tenure that has been talked about to ad nauseam already, instead we will take a look at some other players.
1 Up- Didi Gregorius
Since he returned from his injury suffered during the 2017 WBC Didi has been on fire for the Yankees. Most notably during the AL Wildcard game and the ALDS when Didi took the team on his back and said “let’s go guys I’ve got you” with his performance. And since the unexpected 2017 post-season run Didi has become a folk hero with a cult like following. Boisterous chants of Didi ring out through Yankee Stadium any time Gregorius steps up to the plate. This has been an early trend this season as well. Look for Didi to continue supplying energy and great play throughout the summer and into what is hoped to be and ever longer playoff run this season.
1 Down- Gary Sanchez
“Gary is Scary”- part of John Sterling’s home run call for Gary Sanchez has taken on a whole different connotation over the first month of the season. Sanchez after last night’s humiliating lose to Boston is now hitting for a batting average of a whopping .056 to go along with one home run and three rbi’s. Sanchez is a much better hitter than this, but he has a much heavier focus on his defense this season. Thus Sanchez’s bat has not made the trip from last season. I truly believe in Sanchez and in his ability to get it turned around because he is way better than an .056 hitter, but in the mean time it has been difficult to watch.
2 Up- Aaron Judge
Judge was started off a bit slow in Spring Training as he was recovering from off-season shoulder surgery. And his performance in Spring showed that his timing wasn’t fully right. However, as the season has gone along he is starting to get it going. Judge is now hitting for a .333 batting average with three home runs and eight rbi’s. Including a three hit performance in last night’s 14-1 debacle against the Red Sox. If Judge and Didi start to really get it going they can carry this lineup and also take some of the pressure off the shoulders of Giancarlo Stanton. (Side note on Stanton after strikeout in his first two at bats in Tuesday night’s game he hit a ground ball sharply to center and doubled on a ball sharply hit to left field. If Stanton starts hitting he too can carry this lineup).
2 Down- Tommy Kahnle
Tommy has not pitched well in his outings so far this season. His ERA is a monstrous 7.11 over 6.1 innings of work. Kahnle has not received much backlash as most of the blame has been placed on the shoulders of new manager Aaron Boone. However, each player must be held accountable for his own play. I do believe that Kahnle can get this settled down this season. Also if placed in the right situations Kahnle has the “stuff” to be downright unhittable. But while Boone and Rothschild figure out how to best deploy Kahnle more struggles may be inline.
3 Up- Aaron Hicks
Aaron Hicks is currently on the DL so how can he make this list? Hicks should be making his way back to roaming center field for the New York Yankees by the end of this series with Boston. That is really good news as oblique injuries can be tricky. Now from the time this injury was first announced Hicks was petitioning to not go on the DL as he has already been taking swings from both sides of the plate. And reinforcements can not come soon enough. Speaking on behalf of all real New York Yankees fans, Hicks need you back and to stay healthy. Thank you.
3 Down- Brandon Drury
However, as with all things in life not everything is going to run smoothly. In getting Hicks back we have lost our Opening Day third baseman Brandon Drury. Drury hit the DL dealing with migraines. They were said to have been bothering him ever since the end of Spring Training, which is a serious issue and health concern. Drury was taken through a “Battery of Test” and as of this writing the results have not been announced as to the outcome of those tests. We hope for a speedy recovery and continued health for Drury and everyone on the Yankees. for the remainder of the season and post season.
B.O.L.O- Gleyber Torres
So as an extra little tidbit of information to throw in here this coming Saturday April 14th could be a special day. Because as of that day Yankees top prospect Gleyber Torres can be brought up and the Yankees will be able to maintain that extra year of control. We have seen service time manipulation before in the case of superstars like Bryce Harper, Mike Trout and Kris Bryant. So this practice is nothing new in baseball, but this Saturday the Yankees can potentially call up the phenom who has been lighting it up at Triple A Scranton. While the minor league season is only about a week into the season Gleyber has a batting average of .348 with a home run and four rbi’s. The reports out of Scranton are that Gleyber will play games at second and third base this week, which could be a telling sign as to a potential call-up. As Miguel Andújar has struggled somewhat during his call up to the Yankees about a week ago.
These players that have been discussed are some to watch in the coming games over the next few games to see how they progress and perform. It will be interesting to see what moves are made once Hicks is able to come off the DL and if the Yankees make a move to bring Gleyber to the Bronx after securing that extra year of service time.
