As the 2023 MLB season progresses and the playoff race heats up, the New York Yankees find themselves in a tough spot. They rank third in the AL-East table, 11 games behind the toppers, Tampa Bay Rays. Since the team lost its captain, Aaron Judge, it has slid down further due to offensive lackluster.
Despite spending nearly $300 million of payroll this off-season, the Yankees struggle to stay in contention for a playoff spot. Many factors are responsible for the team’s downfall, including the captain’s absence and offensive shortcomings. As the season reaches halfway, questions over the possibility of the Bombers reaching the playoffs have begun to arise. Amid this, a popular MLB scout has jumped into the debate.
MLB Scout Quashes Yankees Chances Of Qualifying For Postseason This Year!
The New York Yankees fell short of its 28th championship title last season after losing out to Houston Astros in ALCS. But this season, the team came with a lot of hope owing to the successful off-season. However, all the hope and excitement doused quickly as injuries and inconsistent gameplay hampered the team’s campaign. Not only that, things got messier once the captain, Aaron Judge, landed on IL due to a toe injury, and there are still no signs of his return, even after three weeks of rehabilitation. The veteran batter in Judge’s absence has done nothing but disappoint.
All these factors have led an unnamed MLB scout to cast doubt on the Yankee’s playoff chances this year. A veteran major league scout who follows the Yankees and their farm system closely spoke to NJ Advance Media and shared his insights. He said that the Yankees in no scenario could qualify out of the highly competitive East table. The only teams who stand a chance at playoff qualification out of the East are either Tampa Bay Rays or Baltimore Orioles. The scout later blasted the veterans for not stepping up and also urged the team to make trades to boost the offense. He believes that getting back Aaron Judge is not enough to solve offensive woes. Also, the scout is in favor of benching infield veterans to fit top prospects like Oswald Peraza into the lineup. Overall, the anonymous scout has lost all faith in the Bronx Bombers this season.
MLB Scout Calls For Axing Of Josh Donaldson
The unnamed MLB scout poured his heart down while speaking to NJ Media. After quashing off Yankees playoff qualification chances, he went on to rant about how bad Josh Donaldson is. The scout said that the third baseman was of no good to the team and must be released immediately. Donaldson’s age is taking a toll on him as he is getting slow at everything he does. Further, he even went on to justify the baseman’s repeated benching.
The scout did not stop there. He went on to attack Yankees general manager Brian Cashman. He urged the GM to show some guts and release Donaldson off the roster, as a trade would not happen since nobody wants the baseman. Well, the scout’s criticism might be a little harsh but not completely untrue. Donaldson has been awful and is adding no value to the team. Hence, there is no point in keeping him.
