Sean Casey took over as New York Yankees interim hitting coach after the front office fired ex-coach Dillon Lawson during the All-Star break. However, even under Casey’s supervision, the team’s offensive woes remained unchanged. As the second half of the season kicked off, the Yanks kept on hitting low after low until mid-August.
In the past two weeks, New York Yankees struggling veteran DJ LeMahieu has witnessed a resurgence on the plate for which he issued credit to hitting coach Sean Casey. Apparently, the duo connected via mutual philosophy and worked their way to resolve LeMahieu’s struggles. Amid this, another struggling baseman is witnessing a hot streak, and Casey might have a part to play in this, too.
Gleyber Torres Changes Stance In Second Half, Records Resurgence
Second baseman Gleyber Torres’ future in the New York Yankees is not certain. He is an impending free agent, desperately trying to hold on to his roster spot. But recurring defensive lapses continued to weaken his case. Having said that, Torres has not given a reason to complain on the offensive front. He remains the team’s second-best hitter after captain Aaron Judge. While he witnessed a minor slump in early June, the baseman made a strong comeback in the second half, right after Sean Casey took over the batting coach duties. Apparently, Torres has tweaked his stance wherein he has inducted toe-tap on two strikes instead of sticking to his normal leg kick.
The adjustment apparently worked in Gleyber Torres’ favor, as his OPS witnessed a significant jump. As of this writing, the baseman’s season OPS is over .800 with a .272 batting average. Having said that, if rumors are to be believed, Casey might have aided this adjustment. He has been working closely with each hitter to address their woes personally. Moreover, Torres’ timing of resurgence perfectly puts together the puzzle. However, these changes and hot streaks might not prove enough for Gelyber to secure his place in the Bronx. The Yankees have a logjam at the infield, with Oswald Peraza emerging as the preferred candidate. Hence, the second baseman might enter free agency in 2024.
Debutant Jasson Dominguez Aids Yankees Series Sweep Vs. Astros
Meanwhile, last weekend, the New York Yankees active roster underwent a major overhaul. Veterans like Josh Donaldson and Harrison Bader were axed, whereas prospects Jasson Dominguez and Austin Wells made their major league debut vs. the Astros. Dominguez, in particular, lived his dream debut by smashing two homers in his first career three games. He also drove two RBIs in the series finale to secure the team’s first series sweep in two months.
“He’s lived up to every ounce of hype that I’ve heard,” Michael King said. Having said that, the Yankees still remain 7 games below the playoff wildcard spot. The series sweep might be just what the team needed to regain the lost confidence. While the playoff berth seems a little far-fetched, the Yanks can surely finish the season on a high to start the 2024 season with new energy and confidence. It would be interesting to see how they approach the upcoming last stretch.
