Whether you like the idea of big-bat Manny Machado coming to the New York Yankees or not, in this specific scenario we are going to include him in the narrative, simply because he offers the most value as a batter in free agency.
While the Yankees will get their chance to “wow” Machado on Wednesday, a few days after his first meeting with the Chicago White Sox, the deal to bring him to the Big Apple is far from complete. The Bombers aren’t willing to pay the two-time Golden Glove award winner more than $300 million, which is completely fair, considering they took on a massive 13-year, $325 million deal when Giancarlo Stanton came over from the Marlins.
Nonetheless, both are extraordinary batters with the ability to change any game on its head in the blink of an eye.
What would the ideal New York Yankees lineup be next season?
To start off the order, I imagine Aaron Hicks coming to the plate. The outfielder had a solid 2018 and can bat from both sides of the box, making him a wild card. He batted .248 and earned 119 hits in 480 at-bats.
Second up, Aaron Judge. The Yankees’ youth phenom had a stellar year despite suffering a wrist injury that kept him out for a short spell. Judge has the power and hit efficiency to get on base (.392 OBP). He tends to earn a large amount of walks due to a justified intimidation factor (127 in 2017).
Third up, Giancarlo Stanton. The slugger strikes out a lot (211 in 2018) but also hits a ton of home runs (38). His third spot is perfect, as an out isn’t detrimental at that point in the lineup if at least one player is on base, and your best hitter is coming up at No.4.
The clean-up spot would be theoretically manned by Machado, who amassed 37 homers and just 104 strikeouts last season. That’s 106 less than Stanton in about 60 less at bats – those numbers jump off the page. He’s a highly efficient batter than finds a way to get on base. He’s the perfect player to have in the No.4 spot with players in scoring position.
At five, Gary Sanchez fits the bill. Despite a lackluster 2018 at the plate, the Yankees’ catcher is a more than capable hitter. If he can refine his abilities next season and get off to a good start, he has the potential to be the perfect man behind Machado.
The sixth spot resides with Luke Voit/Greg Bird in my book. Voit had a great campaign last season but has been inconsistent throughout his career. To be quite honest, his success was an anomaly. Look for manager Aaron Boone to play the hot hand on any given day, as both seem to be in play to have a fair shot at the starting first-base job. This spot in the lineup us arguably the weakest, simply because it’s a big question mark.
At seven, I like Miguel Andujar. Some might thing this is too low for the third-baseman, but I’m a big fan of a balanced lineup. Placing Andujar at seven only provides strength to the bottom half of the lineup and will help the top effectively score runs. The third-year pro batted .297 last season, recording 27 homers and 170 total hits. His impressive campaign will surely see him retain his normal role as a significant hitter in the lineup.
The eight spot will go to Gleyber Torres. While he started off strong, Torres fell off toward the end of last season. His ability is certainly there, but his inconsistency makes me question is strength at a higher spot. Putting him after Andujar makes the most sense, as he will be put in a position with a man on base more often than not. Testing the young second-baseman is a must early on in his career, and this is the perfect way to bring the best out of him.
In the final spot, I would like to see Clint Frazier make a name for himself. Going into his third-year, Frazier has a career batting average (AVG) of .238. Allowing him a chance to move up the lineup with good performances is essential. The idea of placing youth towards the bottom is a challenge, and this is where you can weed out that players that need more developement or need to prove they can be consistent. Frazier will be the gateway to the top of the lineup, making him an important piece to the puzzle, but also an essential piece when it comes to helping Andujar and Torres round the bases.
The lineup:
1.) Aaron Hicks
2.) Aaron Judge
3.) Giancarlo Stanton
4.) Manny Machado
5.) Gary Sanchez
6.) Luke Voit/Greg Bird
7.) Miguel Andujar
8.) Gleyber Torres
9.) Clint Frazier
Comment below what you think the Yankees’ lineup should look like!