The return of injured players, such as Giancarlo Stanton and Josh Donaldson, brings a welcome boost to the New York Yankees’ lineup. These players possess significant offensive firepower and are crucial components of the team’s success. However, their return creates a domino effect that requires adjustments in the batting order and defensive positions.
The Yankees never had the luxury of having a full-fledged lineup as the likes of Giancarlo Stanton and Josh Donaldson entered IL due to hamstring injuries. After a brief stint, both infielders are back without any restrictions. While the fans rejoice in their return, the Yankees management will face an intense conundrum. Moreover, the manager, Aaron Boone, will find himself at the center of an apparent infield log jam.
Aaron Boone To A Face Deep Crisis To Solve Yankees Infield Log Jam
Prior to the start of the ongoing 2023 season, many analysts raised questions about the New York Yankees’ crowded infield. However, the team never faced any issues, as many of the players missed significant game time due to injuries. But, the crisis has returned with the comeback of those injured players. Infielders Giancarlo Stanton and Josh Donaldson were reinstated last week without any restrictions. That leaves five candidates fighting or three base spots. The first base is Anthony Rizzo‘s fortress. Hence, the Yankees won’t move him. Also, eyeing Stanton’s injury history, the Bombers have decided to DH him for the first couple of weeks.
That leaves DJ LeMahieu, Gleyber Torres, and Josh Donaldson fighting for second and third base. Meanwhile, Aaron Boone, the Yankees manager, has addressed the conundrum and said it’s a hard job to figure out who stays and who has to make the cut. However, he will try his absolute best to resolve the infield crisis. A potential option for him is to rotate players on a regular basis by giving cooked players like LeMahieu and Torres some off days. Regardless, the skipper is happy to finally have the services of all the players available at a crucial stage of the tournament. He will make efforts to make amends and will decide what fits best for the team.
Giancarlo Stanton To Play Left Field In The Future
Yankees have welcomed back explosive hitter Giancarlo Stanton to the lineup after a brief absence of close to six weeks. However, the team does not plan to use him straight away. Aaron Boone, the manager, revealed that they would DH Stanton for a couple of weeks and keep him away from the field. Boone also shared their future plans for the hitter.
The skipper added that when Giancarlo Stanton is fit enough to play again, the Yankees will position him into left field. With Aaron Judge on the right and Harrison Bader in the center, Stanton would fit in the left perfectly. However, if the team decided to place Stanton in left, he would result in newly turned utility player Isiah Kiner-Falefa‘s axing as he is playing in the outfield at the moment. Long story short, it is absolute chaos in the Yankee clubhouse right now with the returnees. Aaron Boone will face some tough situations in the future.