3 questions the New York Yankees need to answer during spring training

The New York Yankees were plastered by the Philadelphia Phillies 0-15 on Thursday afternoon. The smackdown raised a few eyebrows and a few questions, but there are always anomalies during spring training that are quickly forgotten about.

The Yankees have a few major questions that still need answering, and with skipper Aaron Boone receiving a pacemaker and undergoing surgery recently, they will have to figure out these problems without him for the short term. Luckily, Boone is doing well and is expected to return to the team at some point, but they will miss him in the meantime, despite his presence via Zoom calls.

Three questions the New York Yankees must answer this offseason:

1.) Who will be their 5th starter in the rotation?

The Yankees have a position battle occurring in the fifth spot at the back end of the starting pitching rotation, with youngster Deivi Garcia, Michael King, and even Clarke Schmidt looking to gain ground.

However, with Domingo German making a return to the team after serving an 81 game suspension, he is the favorite to land the fifth spot in the rotation. Nothing is guaranteed at this point, but the position battle occurring will likely drag out over the next few weeks, especially since German hasn’t featured yet in a game.

Garcia gave up two runs on two homers against the Phillies on Thursday, but his inadequacy was a direct result of two poor pitches and not a consistent show of regression.

This will be an exciting one to watch over the next few weeks, but thankfully, the Yankees have a solid group of pitchers they can choose from to fill the void.

2.) What role will Miguel Andujar player moving forward?

One of the major questions moving forward revolves around Miguel Andujar’s future. Clearly, they elected to retain him instead of trading him off this off-season, which indicates they have plans for him.

Andujar could still make a name for himself in the outfield but also represents a solid alternative on the hot corner and a potential reserve option at first base. I feel as though the Yankees are keen on developing him defensively at multiple spots, utilizing him as a primary utility player. His offensive prowess is likely what’s keeping him above water, but I don’t expect him to receive much playing time unless injuries occur.

3.) How will the outfield depth shake out?

The Yankees have a ton of outfield depth, including Derek Dietrich, Jay Bruce, and Brett Gardner.

I believe Gardy will be a guaranteed retention, but Dietrich has shown a bit of power and moxie the past few days during spring training. Having alternatives is always a positive, especially with injuries arising the past few years at nearly every position in the OF. This is another position battle that will likely unfold during spring training, and at this point, Dietrich is making a case to stick with the team for 2021.