Now in the offseason, the New York Yankees are forced to make more decisions at first base. They have four guys that could play there, and they likely wouldn’t carry more than two. DJ LeMahieu will obviously be on the roster, but who else will it be? In my opinion, it should be Mike Ford.
Lefty Power
The main reason why I think Mike Ford should be on the roster in 2020 is his lefty power. We know that Greg Bird has lefty power, but bats under .200. Ford can put balls in the seats while still maintaining a decent average.
In 143 at-bats in 2019, Ford hit .259 with 12 home runs and 25 RBIs. He is also a really good defender, with a .985 fielding percentage. The Yankees could even use him as an emergency pitcher. He appeared in one game in 2019 and was the Ivy League Pitcher of the Year in 2013.
Trade Bait
I think that the Yankees should use Luke Voit and Greg Bird as trade bait. I think that both deserve a big league job, just not with the Yankees.
Greg Bird is taking the Hunter Pence approach, playing in the Dominican League this fall. He is trying to rework his swing and improve. Maybe a change of scenery would help him too.
Luke Voit battled a few injuries in 2019 and struggled down the stretch. I’m sure that the Yankees would love to keep him, but that may not be possible.
Trading those two guys could help the Yankees acquire a starting pitcher or even a guy like Francisco Lindor. Mike Ford has earned his pinstripes, and I think that he would make a huge impact off the bench for the Yankees in 2020.