New York Yankees left field woes were in discussion the whole off-season. Andrew Benintendi’s shocking departure caused a hole in the left that the team could not fill in during the off-season. Having found no buys in free agency, the Yanks settled with underperforming veteran outfielder Aaron Hicks, who unsurprisingly disappointed.
With Aaron Hicks gone to the Orioles, the Yankees have played almost five different starters on the left in the past seven games. Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Jake Bauers, Oswaldo Cabrera, Giancarlo Stanton, and Billy McKinney all had small stints, but none proved to be a permanent solution. With the trade deadline approaching, could a barter exchange resolve the long-withstanding issue?
Yankees Must Address Concerning Left Field Issue During Trade Deadline
The struggles and uncertainties surrounding the left-field position have become a cause for concern among the Yankees organization. The lack of stability and production in this area continues to be a significant challenge. The lack of a reliable presence in left field has had a ripple effect on the team’s overall performance. Offensively, the production from this position has been inconsistent, creating a gap in the lineup that opponents can exploit. Defensively, the team has struggled to find a consistent fielder who can effectively cover the outfield and make the necessary plays. Moreover, injuries and underperformance have forced the Yankees to rely on various players to fill the left-field void.
Firstly, the team started the season with Oswaldo Cabrera, whose offensive lackluster led to his demotion. After that, Bauers, Kiner-Falefa, and McKinney made 18, 16, and 12 starts, respectively, but failed to leave a deep impact. However, Bauers recently got injured and joined Greg Allen and Willie Calhoun in IL. Hence, the Yankees have officially run out of outfield starters. A solution could be to trade Cody Bellinger from Cubs during the trade deadline. He recently homered against the Bombers at Yankee Stadium and is having an excellent offensive season. While the Cubs are not expected to be sellers, the Yanks can make an offer that they cannot deny. Additionally, the team can wait for injured players like Allen to return. Estevan Florial is also an option, as he is raking up the minor league presently. But since he is not a part of the 40-man roster, he continues to receive less preference. Hence, the office must consider using him as a trade chip.
Yanks Left Field Numbers Stoop To An All-Season Low!
After another flop show on a plate on Friday, the Yankees left field offensive production ranked among the worst in MLB. According to FanGraphs, Yankees left fielders are 28th in on-base percentage (.285), 27th in WAR (0.1), 26th in wRC+ (84), and 24th in average (.227). Not only that, the defense has also been among the major league’s worst, according to advanced metrics.
Meanwhile, speaking on the possibilities of a trade to end the team’s left-field woes, Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that they have guys in the mix capable of throwing out in the field. Regardless, the office is keeping a close on the trade market. If a candidate seems suitable according to the roster needs, the Yanks will surely try for an exchange. But for now, the focus is to create the best of the existing mix available at the deck.
