Fresh off another victory and having scored 30 runs in their most recent three games, the New York Yankees are undeniably on a hot streak.
Despite the impending absence of Harrison Bader due to a hamstring injury for several weeks, the team is set to receive a boost, with Giancarlo Stanton commencing a rehab assignment on Tuesday and right-handed pitcher Tommy Kahnle also on the mend.
The Yankees are poised to welcome back their power hitter:
The Yankees are anticipating the return of Stanton, an exceptional batter in the clean-up spot, which should further augment their offensive capabilities.
Recently, the Yankees have found their rhythm, employing a mix of contact hitting and power to generate considerable run production.
Being only five games behind in the AL East, they’re gradually inching toward the top of the standings. This makes the return of their starting catcher, José Treviño, even more crucial.
The Yankees announced Treviño’s reinstatement from the 10-day injured list following Tuesday’s victory against Seattle.
Before his injury, Treviño had participated in 30 games, recording a .219 batting average and a .265 on-base percentage, along with three home runs and 11 RBIs. Treviño’s value doesn’t stem primarily from his offense, but rather from his superior defensive performance behind home plate.
Last season, he had the highest strike rate and catcher runs framed in the Major Leagues.
In Treviño’s absence, the Yankees utilized Kyle Higashioka and Ben Rortvedt. Notably, without Treviño, star pitcher Gerrit Cole has found it challenging to maintain his top-tier performance, leading to a few inconsistent outings.
In order to make room for Treviño, the Yankees reassigned 25-year-old catcher Ben Rortvedt to Triple-A Scranton.
Over five games with the Yankees, Rortvedt posted a .286 batting average and a .444 on-base percentage, demonstrating strong offensive capabilities. While Rortvedt will serve as a primary backup, the team continues to favor Higashioka due to his experience with the starting rotation.
To fill the void left by Bader, the Yankees promoted Franchy Cordero, a 28-year-old veteran of 245 Major League games.
Despite starting the season well, Cordero’s performance declined, with a .151 batting average and a .182 on-base percentage, including four home runs and 11 RBIs over 18 games. His high strikeout rate of 36.4% and low walk rate of 3.6% prompted the Yankees to make adjustments, opting for Jake Bauers and now Isiah Kiner-Falefa to occupy one of the corner outfield positions.
While the Yankees strive to restore their team to full strength, minor setbacks have hindered them.
Nevertheless, the imminent returns of Stanton, Josh Donaldson, and Kahnle are promising. With Bader and Carlos Rodon being the final pieces of the puzzle, the team looks poised for a potential resurgence.