The New York Yankees find themselves in a frustrating tailspin, losing six straight games and watching their division lead shrink quickly.
Not long ago, they had a 5.5-game cushion atop the American League East, but that’s been whittled down to just 1.5 games.
Offensive drought exposes depth concerns across the roster
The entire Yankees offense has gone cold, and their infield depth has been particularly unproductive over the past few weeks.
Struggles from underperforming bench players have compounded the issue, with Oswald Peraza at the center of growing concern.
Peraza has long carried the label of a promising prospect, but the production simply hasn’t followed him into the big leagues.
Peraza’s offensive woes continue to worsen
In Wednesday’s loss, Peraza went hitless over two at-bats and lowered his slash line to .157/.242/.287 on the season.
He’s now in the bottom tier across almost every major offensive category aside from bat speed, which remains impressive.
The issue is, raw speed doesn’t translate to value if the bat doesn’t meet the ball — and that’s been Peraza’s problem.
Poor contact metrics suggest a tough road ahead
Peraza ranks near the bottom in MLB for strikeout rate, whiff percentage, and average exit velocity — a brutal combination.
His 27.1% strikeout rate highlights a hitter who’s struggling to even compete in plate appearances, let alone deliver results.
There’s only so long a team with championship aspirations can justify keeping that kind of bat in the lineup.
Defensive versatility isn’t enough to hide the flaws
The Yankees have floated the idea of Peraza playing outfield, giving him some reps in hopes of expanding his versatility.
Manager Aaron Boone even suggested he could be a pinch-runner or late-inning defensive option, especially with his athleticism.
But that kind of utility value can only go so far when the offensive output is this low and the roster lacks flexibility.
A trade deadline decision may be looming
The Yankees don’t have unlimited patience, and Peraza’s time may be running short with the trade deadline just weeks away.
His value as a former top prospect may still entice rebuilding teams looking to take a flier on raw talent.
But for a contending roster in desperate need of run support, it’s clear Peraza isn’t helping solve the current crisis.
What will the Yankees do next?
At some point, the Yankees have to stop experimenting and start producing, especially if they hope to hold off Tampa Bay.
Peraza has received opportunities, but there’s little indication he’s ready to contribute meaningfully during a stretch this critical.
Sometimes a fresh start is the best option — and the Yankees may need another utility option in the infield for the second half of the season.