The Yankees are built to win now, but underperforming players are testing that ambition with every passing series this summer.
Championship-level rosters don’t survive by waiting on stagnant production, and a few names are inching toward reduced roles — or worse.
DJ LeMahieu no longer fits the starting lineup
The Yankees hoped DJ LeMahieu could rebound, but his numbers continue to suggest he’s no longer a daily starting infielder.
LeMahieu is slashing .240/.313/.327 over 146 plate appearances, with just two home runs and a .640 OPS on the season.
While his average exit velocity and hard-hit rate aren’t terrible, they’re not translating into meaningful impact at the plate.
At 36 years old, LeMahieu looks more like a stopgap than a long-term solution — a Swiss Army knife best used sparingly.
His 84 wRC+ makes it clear he’s contributing below league average offensively, which the Yankees simply can’t afford in October.
A utility role suits him better now, offering coverage at first, second, or third base when injuries inevitably strike again.
Austin Wells hasn’t broken through yet
Austin Wells was expected to evolve into an offensive spark at catcher, but the progress has stalled significantly this year.
Wells is hitting .217/.278/.429 with seven home runs and a 90 wRC+ across 180 plate appearances — not disastrous, but underwhelming.
The 25-year-old owns strong power metrics like an 82nd percentile hard-hit rate and solid average exit velocity, but they’re underutilized.
What drags him down is plate discipline — his strikeout rate is high, and his walk rate is far from encouraging.
Despite being a reliable defensive catcher with a strong arm and framing skills, Wells needs to raise his on-base numbers quickly.
The Yankees could consider giving JC Escarra a look — his plate discipline and sneaky power make him a potential short-term spark.
Oswald Peraza looks lost at the plate
Of all the players under review, Oswald Peraza seems closest to losing his roster spot entirely with his current offensive performance.
Peraza is hitting just .162/.240/.282 across 77 plate appearances, offering little to no power or on-base value in limited chances.
While he grades out well defensively and runs well (89th percentile sprint speed), that’s not enough to justify his role right now.
His barrel rate, slugging, and walk rate are all bottom-tier, and pitchers aren’t even working hard to get him out.
Unless the Yankees deal with multiple injuries or unexpected trades, Peraza looks like the odd man out moving forward.
An outright demotion to Triple-A — or potentially DFA if roster spots tighten — feels inevitable if the team adds another infielder.
- Yankees southpaw replaces rotation mate on the All-Star Game roster
- Yankees promote 2 electric prospects to Double-A
- Yankees might have to deal 100 mph rookie starter for star third base upgrade
The Yankees need to stop waiting and act
All three players — LeMahieu, Wells, and Peraza — have upside, but the Yankees don’t have the luxury of waiting any longer.
This is a team trying to win a World Series, and holes in the lineup eventually turn into season-ending leaks under pressure.