The New York Yankees catchers, Kyle Higashioka and Jose Trevino, have been unable to throw out a base stealer this season.
New York Yankees’ has had a rocky start to the 2023 season. While they have won four series so far, consistent injuries and the concerning form of the regular players remain a pressing issue. Moreover, they lost two games to Minnesota wins, which broke the series win streak. In the meantime, fresh stats are coming in, which puts the catchers’ role in question this season.
MLB introduced a new larger base rule this season. The catchers have been unable to cope with it just yet. As per recent stats, three teams this season have failed to throw a single base stealer out. One among them ranked the New York Yankees. While their hitters have stolen 13 bases off the 17 attempts, the catchers’ Kyle Higashioka and Jose Trevino, have struggled with the throws.
Yankees Working On Kyle Higashioka And Jose Trevino’s Limitations
The New York Yankees have had a bit of trouble with their catchers lately. Jose Trevino and Kyle Higashioka, who share the catching duties for the team, have been struggling to throw runners out on the base paths. They are yet to throw a base stealer out in the 2023 season. Addressing the issue, the catching coach of the team, Tanner Swanson, said the team is aware of it and working on it accordingly. They apparently knew the issue would arise due to the new base rule.
Tanner believes Kyle Higashioka and Jose Trevino haven’t made accurate throws primarily because of injury concerns. Both catchers are lagging pace due to persistent health issues. Part of the issue may be with the Yankees’ pitching staff. Yankees pitchers have been notoriously bad at holding runners this season, giving opposing baserunners a big advantage in terms of stealing bases. However, the catchers still bear some responsibility for their inability to throw out runners. Regardless, the coach remains to rest assured that the catching duo would come around in due time as the season progresses.
Bombers Left With Negligible Catching Depth
The lack of bullpen depth is another reason the New York Yankees are struggling behind the plate. Currently, they have only two healthy catchers in the lineup, Kyle Higashokia and Jose Trevino. During spring training, Josh Breaux and Ben Rortvedt suffered respective injuries and were placed on the injury list subsequently. Moreover, Austin Wells, a young prospect, could not even participate in the spring as he suffered a massive rib injury.
Hence, the catching depth has almost depleted. Hence, the Yankees could be to explore the trade market for a catcher who excels at throwing out runners. There are a number of catchers around the league who are known for their strong arms, and adding one of these catchers to the roster could help improve the Yankees’ defense. But the options remain highly limited.
