It’s getting late early for the New York Yankees when it comes to their infield, and the cracks are starting to show.
Even with Jazz Chisholm inching closer to a return, the team is juggling underperforming depth options like a circus act gone wrong.
Right now, this unit looks more like a stopgap puzzle than a playoff-caliber infield—and that’s a dangerous game in the AL East.
Offensive void at critical positions
Friday night against the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Yankees rolled out Jorbit Vivas and Oswald Peraza in starting roles.
Later, they even used Pablo Reyes as a pinch hitter, hoping to scrape together any offense from the bottom of the lineup.
All three are hitting below .200 this season, with on-base percentages under 25%. That’s not just a slump—it’s a crisis.
The fact that two of those names were in the starting lineup against a World Series contender is genuinely hard to believe.
At this point, DJ LeMahieu might be their most reliable contributor in the group, which is saying a lot about their situation.
Chisholm’s return isn’t the full solution
The Yankees expect Chisholm back next week, which will give them a jolt of athleticism and left-handed power on the infield.
They likely plan to place him back at third base, with LeMahieu sliding to second to handle the defensive workload.
But this is more duct tape than long-term fix. Chisholm is coming off injury, and LeMahieu has a 44 wRC+ with no offensive upside.
Pablo Reyes, despite his versatility, is hitting .192 across 26 at-bats and could be the odd man out once Jazz returns.
Peraza and Vivas running out of chances
Oswald Peraza continues to look lost at the plate, slashing .157/.239/.325 over limited action. The glove can’t carry that line.
Defensive infielders are easy to find these days—if they can’t hit, teams move on quickly, and the Yankees are nearly there.
Vivas, meanwhile, was promoted out of necessity, but he’s produced just a .143 average and a .488 OPS since his call-up.
While there’s some patience for development, he’s not showing enough signs to justify keeping him around once the roster tightens.
Cashman preparing for deadline reinforcements
With July approaching, general manager Brian Cashman is already eyeing potential trades to solidify the infield rotation.
The Yankees could target either second or third base upgrades, depending on Chisholm’s performance and how LeMahieu holds up.
That flexibility is helpful, but the urgency is building—and this current group isn’t built to last beyond June.
If the Yankees want to stay atop the American League, they can’t afford to play roulette with their infield for much longer.
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