The New York Yankees started off the season ablaze, going 8-1, but more recently have had some bad luck and some pitching problems that have caused them to go 4-6. Nevertheless, the Yankees have a bevy of talented players, particularly in the lineup and on the bench. What’s good for the Yankees, unfortunately, hasn’t been kind to the likes of Miguel Andujar and Clint Frazier.
If Andujar and Frazier were playing for another team the would be playing every day in the lineup, possibly high up there in the lineup. But for the Yankees they constantly have to make decisions on how they place all those talented players, sometimes depending on who is hot, players get shuffled around or even sent down to the alternate site, Scranton Wilkes/Barre.
Clint Frazier was sent down earlier, but when New York Yankee manager Aaron Boone had to shrink down the roster to meet the 28 man rule, Andujar, Nick Nelson, and Thairo Estrada were sent down to Scranton. The extra send down was because the Yankees needed an extra arm, the called up Nick Tropeano to bolster the bullpen.
Nick Nelson was sent do to work on his pitching after giving up six runs in relief in a game last week. Estrada was sent down due to just having nowhere to put him. The mightily talented Miguel Andujar is a bit of a different situation. While the Yankees were making every effort to get Andujar playing time, he just wasn’t hitting. When sent down his batting average was a miserable .071. In a regular season, the Yankees might be able to wait out a slump like that, but in a short season, the Yankees need their best hitters in the lineup.
Getting back to the Yankees talented players, most all the Yankee lineup has been doing a great job, particularly Aaron Judge with eight home runs and Giancarlo Stanton that had a batting average hovering at .300. But most remarkable is the performance of Gio Urshela, Mike Tauchman, and Mike Ford. Gio is constantly hitting and making big plays on 3rd base. Ford can hit homers and Tauchman is the standout in this young season.
All of these players, playing so well is unfortunate for Andujar and Frazier. Last year with all the injuries, players were being constantly shuttled back and forth from the minors in that next man up need. This year without all the injuries that’s not happening.
With the hamstring injury to Giancarlo Stanton, there may be some light at the end of the tunnel for Frazier. But wait, when Frazier had a chance to come up, the Yankees chose to recall Thairo Estrada instead. This was a very strange move for the Yankees. Frazier who undoubtedly is not the best in the field, his bat cannot be denied.
This writer can only assume that due to the Yankee’s depth in the outfield they just didn’t need Frazier. CF Brett Gardner with Aaron Hicks healthy has been a regular in left field. The Yankees being a home run team, most likely considered that Gardner is hitting a home run in every six or seven games and Tauchman has been getting on base consistently. Frazier must be frustrated and beside himself with his constant bad luck.
For Andujar, a three-year major leaguer, to be sent down must have come as a shock. Manager Boone said he had a very difficult conversation with the young player. Possibly Andujar can work out his lack of hitting in Scranton. He will most likely get recalled at some point, based on injuries to regular players.
On a side note, the New York Yankees will not be shrinking the roster down to just 26 at the end of this week, as MLB has said they will maintain the 28 man roster for the rest of the season.
UPDATE:
Apparently the Yankees have decided bringing Estrada up instead of Frazier was not the correct move. Today they have sent Estrada back down to Scranton. According to the New York Post, they have information that the Yankees will call up Clint Frazier before Tuesday’s start of a two-game series with the Atlanta Braves.