New York Yankees: 3 burning questions heading into spring training 2.0

The New York Yankees enter spring training 2.0 in the Bronx with multiple questions left to be answered. Prior to the shut down of baseball, the Yankees were dealing with a bevy of injuries to star players like Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, and Aaron Hicks. Let’s not forget about James Paxton and Luis Severino already scheduled to miss the entire 2020 campaign after succumbing to Tommy John surgery.

However, the Yankees have one of the deepest teams in Major League Baseball. Players like Miguel Andujar are waiting in the wings for an opportunity. Andujar lost his starting position at third base to Gio Urshela last season after he went down with a torn labrum. With general manager Brian Cashman stating that Stanton could fill the DH spot, Andujar might not have much of an opportunity with the Bombers, unless he’s featuring in left field.

“I feel that Stanton would be a legitimate choice for that DH role starting from the beginning,” Cashman said on a conference call Tuesday. “The question is whether he would be any choice at all in the beginning as an outfielder or not. I don’t know that answer.”

Nonetheless, let’s take a look at three burning questions for the New York Yankees:

1.) How will the Yankees utilize Miguel Andujar?

As stated, the Yankees have a decision to make with Andujar. He played in just 12 games last year after posting a .297 batting average with 27 homers and 47 doubles in his rookie campaign. He was the runner-up for Rookie of the Year in 2018, and returning to that form is his ultimate goal.

Andujar spent the spring attempting to learn how to play in the outfield. While the Yankees have several players ahead of him, he could be used as a depth piece and rotational hitter in the DH spot.

I see manager Aaron Boone rotating Andujar and Stanton and DH, attempting to limit fatigue and keep their high price slugger healthy for the shortened season.

2.) Will Aaron Judge be ready for Opening Day?

After initial reports stated that Aaron judge had simply begun hitting off the tee, video suggests that he has been partaking in live betting reps against Gerrit Cole and others.

Judge is rehabbing from a stress fracture in a rib suffered last September, and the extra time to heal has been extremely beneficial for his progress. The Yankees are expecting him to return for Opening Day in late July, but nothing is set in stone just yet. His participation in live at-bats does suggest that he could be ready to start, but he must begin to practice in the outfield before the Yankees can confidently slide him into the right-field position.

3.) Can Gleyber Torres be trusted at shortstop?

This is a major question that the Yankees would have been facing over a 162-game season. Torres did feature at shortstop a bit in 2019, playing in 77 total games, logging a .961 fielding percentage with 11 errors.

He didn’t fare too much better at second base, posting a .967 fielding percentage with all nine errors. Torres represented -1 runs BIS (Defensive runs saved above average) at shortstop. At 2B, he allowed -12.

The condensed season actually might be beneficial for the Yankees with their Gleyber Torres at a shortstop experiment. A smaller sample size will give them the information they need to supplement him next offseason if he doesn’t perform adequately.