The Yankees are a few weeks away from opening day, but if the latest projected lineup from NorthJersey.com is anything close to reality, they might be in trouble before the season even starts.
The Problem Areas in the Lineup
Here’s the lineup in question:
- Jazz Chisholm Jr., 2B
- Aaron Judge, DH
- Cody Bellinger, RF
- Jasson Dominguez, LF
- Paul Goldschmidt, 1B
- Austin Wells, C
- Anthony Volpe, SS
- Trent Grisham, CF
- DJ LeMahieu, 3B
Right off the bat, there are a few glaring issues. The biggest head-scratcher is Aaron Judge serving as the designated hitter instead of playing right field, where he is a Gold Glove-caliber defender. That decision alone would significantly downgrade the outfield defense, especially since it pushes Cody Bellinger to right field instead of center, where he excels.
If anything, Jasson Dominguez should be the one moving to right field, with Trent Grisham in left—at least temporarily. But the real concern here is that Grisham is in the lineup at all. He’s a strong defender, but historically, his offense has been an anchor, not an asset. The idea of him playing every day while Judge is stuck at DH is puzzling at best.
Then there’s DJ LeMahieu, who hasn’t even played a game in Grapefruit League action yet. Reports suggest the Yankees aren’t confident he’ll be much of a factor this year, and his athleticism has taken a major hit over the past two seasons. If he can’t contribute, there’s no reason he should be starting over younger, more capable options like Oswaldo Cabrera or Oswald Peraza.
The One Realistic Piece
The only part of this lineup that makes sense is Jazz Chisholm Jr. leading off. He’s been batting first in the past two games of spring training, so the Yankees are giving him an extended look in that role. He’s not a traditional high on-base percentage leadoff hitter, but his speed and baserunning skills can wreak havoc if he gets on.
Still, the Yankees might prefer to use him in the middle of the order, where his power can be maximized with runners on base. Chisholm has the ability to hit 20+ homers, and keeping him at leadoff could limit his impact in run-producing situations.
A More Realistic Yankees Lineup
If the Yankees want a lineup that actually maximizes their talent, here’s a much better option:
- Jazz Chisholm Jr., 2B
- Aaron Judge, RF
- Cody Bellinger, CF
- Jasson Dominguez, LF
- Paul Goldschmidt, 1B
- Austin Wells, C
- Anthony Volpe, SS
- Ben Rice, DH
- Oswaldo Cabrera, 3B
This lineup keeps Judge in right field, puts Bellinger where he belongs in center, and lets Dominguez work through his growing pains in left. It also keeps LeMahieu out of the equation until he proves he’s actually capable of contributing. Meanwhile, Ben Rice, who has shown plenty of offensive upside, slots in as the DH, allowing the Yankees to avoid wasting a roster spot on a struggling fourth outfielder — who also hasn’t taken an at-bat this spring.
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The Yankees still have decisions to make, but if they roll into opening day with the lineup that’s currently being projected, it won’t take long for them to realize just how bad of an idea it was.