The New York Yankees just wrapped up a forgettable weekend at home, dropping a series to the San Francisco Giants—yes, those surprisingly competent Giants.
Despite a generally steady offense this season, the bats have been playing a game of hide and seek lately, especially when paired with a rotation that’s been more meh than marvelous.
Shuffling the Deck vs. Royals
Looking to stop the slide and reignite the fire, the Yankees now turn to a fresh three-game series at home against the Kansas City Royals. The division race is tightening, and New York knows every win counts.
But they’ll need to lean on a pretty shaky pillar: Carlos Carrasco, who’s been wearing a 7.71 ERA like a neon sign that reads “Proceed With Caution.”
Manager Aaron Boone isn’t exactly rolling over, though. He’s made a few tweaks to the lineup in hopes of squeezing out more than the 3.16 runs per game they managed over the past week—numbers that just won’t cut it when your starter has an ERA that looks like a toll-free number.
Ben Rice, Judge, and a Risky Sandwich
Ben Rice continues to lead off, and honestly, why mess with one of the few things going right? He’s been raking lately and setting the table nicely.
Aaron Judge holds down his familiar second spot, but here’s where it gets interesting: Boone has slotted Austin Wells—a catcher still trying to find his rhythm—in the third hole.
It’s a bold move, like putting a rookie stand-up comedian between Dave Chappelle and Chris Rock. But hey, maybe hitting between two MVPs (Judge and Paul Goldschmidt) will make pitchers challenge Wells, who is sporting a .550 OPS in his last seven games, a bit more.
Goldschmidt, by the way, has been locked in, and his presence in the cleanup spot remains a silver lining amid some overcast offensive days.
As for Cody Bellinger, he is getting treatment for a sore back, per reports.
Jazz and the Rest of the Crew
Jazz Chisholm Jr. stays in the fifth spot, trying to build off a Sunday homer that ended a personal slump. Boone is betting on that swing to signal more than just a blip on the radar.
The rest of the lineup features Anthony Volpe, Jasson Dominguez, Trent Grisham, and Oswaldo Cabrera—four guys who’ll need to bring something to the table as they square off against Kansas City’s Seth Lugo.
The Yankees are hoping this reshuffled deck deals them a better hand. Time to see if the gamble pays off.