Yankees call-up an old friend from Triple-A, leadoff hitter goes on paternity leave

New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Hicks hits a home-run against the Tampa Bay Rays.
May 19, 2019; Bronx, NY, USA; New York Yankees center fielder Aaron Hicks (31) hits a two run home run in the fourth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Yankees are gearing up to face off against the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday evening after sweeping the Cleaveland Guardians over the weekend.

The Yankees currently feature a 10–6 record and have finally hit their stride both offensively and defensively. The starting pitching has been phenomenal the past few games, and the offense finally came to play in the final game against Cleveland, recording a healthy 10 runs.

However, before Tuesday’s home game against Baltimore, the Yankees announced they had placed outfielder Aaron Hicks on paternity leave (congratulations to Aaron and his family!).

With Hicks now unavailable for the next few games, at least, the team announced they had called up Miguel Andujar from AAA to help supplement his loss. Hicks had taken over nicely as the team’s lead-off hitter, hitting .273 to open the year with one homer and four RBIs. His 16.7% strikeout rate is one of the lowest on the team, and he also boasts a 14.8% walk rate.

Over 13 games with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Andújar is hitting .347 with three homers and six RBIs over 53 plate appearances. He features an 18.9% strikeout rate and 7.5% walk rate but has showcased his offensive capabilities.

Defensively, Miggy has featured at multiple positions, including third base, left field, and as the team’s DH. Over 44 innings on the hot corner in AAA, Andújar allowed two errors. He was efficient in the left-field position over 45 innings, but the Yankees will likely try to keep him out of the outfield until Hicks returns, if possible.

I would expect Andujar to serve as the team’s DH or only fill a supplemental role if need be since Tim Locastro has looked good in recent days and should cover for Hicks.