Nearly two months into the season, one of the biggest disappointments for the New York Yankees in 2021 has been Clint Frazier. In 39 games, he’s batting just .183 with a .629 OPS and a 79 OPS+.
However, the tide could potentially be changing for the 26-year-old from Georgia. Frazier’s hit the ball much better over the past seven games, and his statistics have significantly improved because of it. Since May 14, Frazier is batting .348 with a .897 OPS. He also has a double and a home run in that span. Additionally, Frazier is five for his last eight with three hits on Sunday against the White Sox and two on Tuesday against the Blue Jays.
With his recent hot streak, Frazier’s batting average has increased over 40 points while his OPS has increased nearly 70 points. His WAR, however, is still well below zero at -0.7.
If Frazier could remain hot, that’d be perfect for the Yankee lineup. As of late, the Yankees have really battled the injury bug with Luke Voit out for extended time and Aaron Hicks out for potentially the entire season. New York could use another home run hitter to step up and assume a bigger role in the offense.
Additionally, the Yankees have struggled with outfield production all season. Hicks performed poorly when healthy, while Brett Gardner has also performed rather poorly this season. If Frazier can stay hot, he’ll have a place in the lineup just about every day.
The Yankees have an important stretch of games coming up, and they could use Frazier’s production in them. They have a big doubleheader with the division rival Blue Jays on Thursday before three must-win games in Detroit this weekend. Afterwards, the Yankees return home for a seven-game homestand with the Tampa Bay Rays and the Boston Red Sox, the two teams ahead of New York in the AL East.