The New York Yankees have made a lot of changes this offseason. They were in a sort of bother after the 2023 season. It was a really difficult time for them as they could not qualify for the postseason for the first time since 2016. To make matters worse, the NY side finished with a terrible 82-80 record. It was their worst season in the last 30 years. Moreover, the Bronx Bombers had the second-worst batting average in the league. The worst hitting average belonged to the nine-time champions, the Oakland Athletics. Moreover, the team relied heavily on their captain who’s their only superstar slugger.
But without Aaron Judge, the team’s offense saw a dip in performance. That’s why the Yankees needed to bring in reinforcements for their offense and outfield. They made several changes in the winter. But the most significant change was the addition of Juan Soto. Now, their offense with Aaron Judge and Juan Soto right next to each other looks really good. Moreover, the Yankees look good from their outfield at present. Even for their infield, the NY side has a lot of options. Perhaps a little too much. Hence, they might demote one such infielder to the minor leagues.
Yankees Might Demote Oswald Peraza To The Minor Leagues?
Right now, in spring training, the NY Yankees are trying to construct their roster for the upcoming season. As it looks at present, the starting lineup for the Yankees infield seems good. They have the first baseman, Anthony Rizzo, the second baseman, Gleyber Torres, the new shortstop, Anthony Volpe, and the third baseman, DJ LeMahieu. On the other hand, Oswald Peraza might play a utility role in the infield. Moreover, he might be due for plenty of at-bats. It won’t matter if the other infielders were not consistent. Peraza is 23 years old.
He has one more minor league option year. Lately, the Yankees skipper mentioned they have a lot of options for the backup infielder. Moreover, Aaron Boone told the reporters that Oswald has a lot of confidence in case of playing in all three of those positions at a high level. But Boone said they have other options like Oswaldo Cabrera, Kevin Smith, Jeter Downs, and so on. Boone said he does not want to leave any of them out because they are all viable candidates with big league experience. Moreover, the Yankees skipper also mentioned that Jorbit Vivas and Josh VanMeter are vying for different spots as well.
How Can Oswald Peraza Find His Place In The Rotation?
Lately, the RosterResource depth chart of Fangraphs shows Peraza will make the team alongside Jose Trevino (catcher), Oswaldo Cabrera (outfielder/infielder), and Trent Grisham (outfielder) on the bench. Moreover, Peraza has played in 70 games in the big league. He hit .216 with a .605 OPS in 248 plate appearances. At third base, second base and shortstop, Peraza showed his strong defensive chops.
On the other hand, VanMeter has not played in the big league since 2022. Then, 25-year-old Downs and 22-year-old Vivas played a few games in the minor league, and that’s it. Moreover, the 27-year-old Kevin Smith has played in the majors quite a lot. But he has performed well in the minor league as well. Hence, it seems Oswald Peraza is safe anyway.
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