So let’s get this straight, New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone not only kept the previously 0-for-9 Edwin Encarnacion in the cleanup spot, but he also featured Brett Gardner right in front of him at No. 3. Gardner is 2-for-9 over the last two losses to the Houston Astros and hasn’t made an impact in any significant way.
The fact is, Gardner could barely even play the field as he crashed into the outfield wall trying to make a warning-track catch. His bat was off, his ability to track fly balls was off, and yet Boone elected to stick with the veteran through thick and thin. Was this a strange sentimental start on behalf of Boone?
Alternatively, Boone could have started speed-demon Cameron Maybin in right field and featured him in the batting order, likely moving him down the list and Gleyber Torres up to the three spot. Torres was the only real threat on Tuesday night against Gerrit Cole, who blanked the Yanks over seven innings despite several concerning innings that nearly resulted in run production.
The Bombers weren’t able to claw away at the Astros and their stellar starting pitchers, though, as Severino allowed two runs early on to dig the Yankees into a hole. The offensive power the New York Yankees featured during the Twins completely turned off due to opposing pitching, but there’s still hope on the horizon.
Based on the struggles of individual players, here’s a revised New York Yankees batting order for game four:
1.) DJ LeMahieu
2.) Aaron Judge
3.) Gleyber Torres
4.) Gary Sanchez
5.) Aaron Hicks
6.) Didi Gregorius
7.) Brett Gardner
8.) Cameron Maybin
9.) Gio Urshela
First off, Edwin Encarnacion has to go — 1-for-13 is despicable, and featuring him in the lineup any longer cannot be justified. Plugging Sanchez into the cleanup spot makes logical sense considering his power, despite his struggles. Since benching him is off the table due to his catching abilities, they can move him up just to take Edwin out.
The reality is, the Yankees need to maximize their effectiveness towards the top portion of the lineup, and stacking it through with high-contact hitters makes the most sense. Generally, the Yanks were in a scoring position more frequently when the top of the batting order was at-bat. Aaron Hicks, the outlier, earned two walks on the day and showed stellar patience against Cole.
Moving him up to the fifth spot in the order gives the Yanks a switch-hitting option that can contribute with discipline behind Sanchez. Also, Brett Gardner has got to GO. His lack of contact is continuous, and his frustration/emotion has taken its toll on his confidence. Unfortunately, the Yanks simply don’t have any other options with Giancarlo Stanton nursing an injured quad.
Putting Maybin in is a necessity for game three.