
The New York Yankees faced off against the New York Mets and the first live exhibition game of 2020. Of course, this comes after spring training 1.0, which lasted several weeks but was ultimately shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Yankees left the game victorious, winning 9-3. The runs allowed by the Bomber’s included a JD Davis double to leftfield that scored Robinson Canó and Michael Conforto, and a Pete Alonso single to center that drove Brandon Nimmo. In the ninth-inning, Ben Heller allowed an infield single that drove in Amed Rosario.
However, that was the least of their worries. The biggest concern was how amazing the offense looked. If you couldn’t tell, I’m being sarcastic. Yankees drove in nine runs, led by a moonshot from Clint Frazier.
Let’s take a look at two New York Yankees players who walked away winners and losers from the matchup:
LOSER: Mike Ford
While the Yankees’ offense was certainly on display, Mike Ford failed to produce in his first live opportunity. He enjoyed four at-bats and struck out for two of them, but did drive-in an RBI.
Overall, the Yankees produced so efficiently across-the-board; it was hard to find a loser in this scenario. With two strikeouts on the day, Ford earned the unfortunate right. Nonetheless, he did drive in an RBI. His loser status shouldn’t be a testament to his overall quality. He is a solid first baseman with great slugging potential.
In 2019, Ford enjoyed 143 at-bats over 50 games. He had .259 with 12 homers and 25 RBIs. At just 28 years old, there’s a lot more to look forward to.
WINNER: Clint Frazier
Frazier’s opportunity has not passed him by, as he launched an amazing home run to left field in the fourth inning in the victory.
https://twitter.com/Starting9/status/1284650306790465536
The young outfielder has failed to earn consistent playing time in recent years, but his outburst against the Boston Red Sox last summer sent him back down to the minor leagues. While he did post a .267 batting average with 12 homers and 30 RBIs last year, his defense didn’t hold the same value. If he can overcome those concerns, the Yankees could find themselves sitting on a potential star.
His newfound maturity and motivation toward improvement are comforting, and this could be the year he finally breaks out in the way we’ve all expected.