New York Yankees, in a desperate quest for a World Series title, had a hyperactive off-season. After spending $360 million on their star slugger Aaron Judge, the Yankees bought left-hand pitcher Carlos Rodon for $162 million. Moreover, the Yanks spent over $500 million on just four players in the bullpen. As a result, the club stares at the luxury tax deduction as the threshold limit has nearly been met.
Besides building a solid bullpen, the Yankees also focused on strengthening the front office. The Bombers brought Brian Sabean and Omar Minaya to assist Brian Cashman as special advisors. And now, the Yankees have made a fresh addition to their coaching staff. Former outfielder, Brad Wilkerson, has been appointed as the new assistant batting coach of the New York Yankees for the upcoming MLB season.
Yankees’ New Coach Reveals His Plan Of Action For Aaron Judge
The New York Yankees suffered greatly in the 2022 postseason due to average batting performance. Hence, for the 2023 season, the Yanks focused a lot on building a solid team overall. After setting up a strong bullpen, the Bombers are strengthening Aaron Boone’s staff. Brad Wilkerson is the latest addition to the Yankees coaching staff. Moreover, Brad will essay on the role of assistant batting coach for the Yanks.
After the announcement, Brad Wilkerson gave an insight into his plans for the Yankees bullpen. Moreover, the coach also shared a specific plan for the club’s newly appointed captain Aaron Judge. According to Yankees insider Bryan Hoch, Brad has revealed that he intends to not mess with Aaron Judge much and will only interact as per requirement. Rightly so, as the record holder for scoring most homers, Aaron Judge certainly would not require much intervention from the coaching staff.
“‘I don’t think I’m going to be messing with Aaron Judge too much,” says Brad Wilkerson.
Fans Want Wilkerson To Assist Aaron During Postseason
The news of Brad Wilkerson not wanting to assist Aaron Judge has spread like wildfire. On top of that, the fans have reacted strongly to Brad’s statement and offered a piece of advice to the new assistant batting coach. For instance, a couple of fans want Brad to help Aaron Judge during the postseason in October and the playoffs. However, a Twitter user had a different opinion. He wrote that this tactic of Brad would again lead the Yankees to a losing cause in the postseason.
In october, he sure better
— Sam Mitchell (@SuperSamMitch) January 30, 2023
He’s got bigger issues. Aka Donaldson, and Hicks.
— Pokeboy890 (@Pokeboy890) January 30, 2023
Keeping Aaron Judge aside, the ones who really need the help of a batting coach are Josh Donaldson and Aaron Hicks. The duo is likely to feature in the starting roster for the Yankees in the 2023 MLB season. Moreover, the pair went through a rough patch last season, which almost led to their ouster from the bullpen. However, a few goof-ups in the off-season by the front office lead to a second chance for the Donaldson-Hicks duo.