The probability of the New York Yankees winning 103 games last season with 20 different players spending time on the injured list in 2019 is quite impressive. However, the amount of injuries is the problematic point, and the Yankees addressed that concern as they fired strength and conditioning coach Matt Krause on Friday. Krause has been with the team since 2014 and had two years remaining on his contract, but there is a specific factoid that is worth reviewing.
According to CBS:
According to my unofficial count, 27 of New York’s 39 injured list stints were for new soft tissue injuries, including five different players who were sidelined with calf strains. Here are the total number of man games lost to injury in 2019.
The Yankees’ plethora of injuries set a record for baseball at 2776 games lost due to individual ailments. They were in first place by 600 games, which justifies the firing of Krause.
Giancarlo Stanton, Luis Severino, and Dellin Betances missed a majority of the 2019 season, with Stanton being the most active with 18 games played.
General manager Brian Cashman has expressed his concern for the uptick in injuries, and the Yankees cannot continue to rely on depth pieces to supplement games lost.
“The failed rehabs that we had some cases — our area of focus is going to be in the area that might have been preventable, clearly, and the determination being is, are they preventable? Are these something that we’re missing? Is there something that in our process that is faulty?” Cashman said in October. “And I can assure you that that has been a laser focus and as I described it as the ‘CSI: The Bronx.’ That has occurred, has been occurring, and if there are any changes, you’ll eventually be made aware of them.”
They were immensely lucky last year with the emergence of Cameron Maybin, Gio Urshela, and Brett Gardner hitting 28 home runs as an old man. Toss in the torn Achilles to Betances after facing just two hitters, and suddenly these injuries are beginning to seem almost inhumane. The fact the Yankees were able to clear out 103 wins is incredible, but they should be able to have even more success with a full bill of health in 2020.