May 21, 2018; Arlington, TX, USA; New York Yankees designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton (27) reacts after striking out during the first inning against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Park in Arlington. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
The New York Yankees will feature one of the more intimidating batting orders in 2019, especially with the addition of Troy Tulowitzki and DJ LeMahieu. Sometimes, it’s about the depth of the order when injuries arise than the overall prowess of the starters.
In 2018, slugger Giancarlo Stanton acted as the primary designated hitter, with sprinkles of Aaron Judge and Miguel Andujar. The $325 million dollar man will continue to feature in that role predominantly, especially with a crowded outfield consisting of Brett Gardner, Clint Frazier, Aaron Hicks, Aaron Judge, and Jacoby Ellsbury.
I would expect Stanton to see most of the reps, but the veteran acquisitions that were made this offseason could also spend some time in that slot. It’s possible that Stanton spends time in left field as Gardner will act as a rotational piece and Frazier adapts to the major league game. If that’s the case, we could see LeMahieu act as the designated hitter for a few games.
Since LeMahieu will be rotating around the infield, it’s possible he moves into third and second base occasionally, which would imply that Andujar and Torres see reps as the DH as well.
Keeping the infield healthy and consistent throughout the season will be an essential priority, and having the depth in the infield to rotate will help keep the roster fresh heading into the playoffs.
People have complained that the Yankees didn’t do enough this offseason, but they forget the team won 100 games last year. The upgrades don’t need to be extreme to build a more complete and capable team. Additionally, both Gary Sanchez and Stanton played below their potential, which should indicate an even bigger improvement in 2019.
This post was published on 2019-02-21 07:00
