New York Yankees Still Searching For A Right Handed Bat
The New York Yankees have been looking for another right-handed bat all offseason, but the options are becoming thinner as Spring Training begins this month. After bringing back Cody Bellinger and Trent Grisham, the Yankees desperately need a right-handed outfielder who can play against lefties.
Bellinger absolutely mashes left-handed pitching, but Grisham struggled mightily. In 155 plate appearances against left-handed pitchers last season, he hit .182 with 7 home runs and 18 RBI. With Bellinger able to play multiple positions, the Yankees can sign a predominant left fielder and sit Grisham against tough left-handed pitching or even pinch-hitting situations.
Yankees Running Out Of Options
With Harrison Bader signing with the Giants and Austin Hays joining the White Sox, the Yankees’ options on the open market are starting to run thin. According to Brendan Kuty of The Athletic, the Yankees have interest in the following players: Austin Slater, Randal Grichuk, Tommy Pham, and Starling Marte. All of them have a ton of starting experience and would fit perfectly as fourth outfielders.
New York acquired Slater at last year’s trade deadline to be the fourth outfielder, but he fell short of expectations. A hamstring injury kept him out for multiple weeks. If NY is signing someone for the sole purpose of hitting left-handers, Slater really doesn’t fit in that category.
Marte is the top remaining option on the market, and he is probably holding out until as late as possible to see what deals teams who are desperate for another bat will offer. Last season, Marte had a .263 batting average with 4 homers and 12 RBI in 147 plate appearances against left-handed pitchers. At age 37, he’ll command a one-year deal, and not having to be an everyday player would benefit him greatly.
Is a Trade Coming?
As Brian Cashman searches for another outfielder, it seems increasingly likely that one of Jasson Dominguez and Spencer Jones will be dealt soon. Dominguez has failed to earn consistent playing time over the past two seasons and was benched in favor of Grisham, who had a career year. At just 22 years old, Dominguez still has a ton of value around the league and an extremely high ceiling.
Jones is a completely different player. He has no major league experience, but standing tall at 6′ 7″, Jones has a ton of power. Last season, he hit 35 home runs and drove in 80 runs. even though he missed time due to injury. While his value isn’t as high as it was previously, he is still an intriguing option to opposing teams.
Are the Yankees Done?
I think another move is coming as we get closer to Spring Training. Now, how big will the move be? That’s the biggest unknown. They still need another bullpen arm and another bat, with a gaping hole at shortstop even when Anthony Volpe returns. They’re not going to keep Dominguez and Jones heading into the season because they have no clear lane to playing time.
The good news is that New York doesn’t need to make a lot of “big moves”, but rather just hit on the margins. Even signing someone like Michael Kopech to solidify the middle of the bullpen would be a fantastic addition. As pitchers and catchers report very soon, the Yankees will be forced to start making moves.
