After missing a crucial opportunity to secure a series win over the Texas Rangers, the Yankees left Tuesday with a walk-off loss, courtesy of Wyatt Langford’s grand slam off closer Clay Holmes.
Injuries Affecting the Yankees’ Lineup
The Yankees were without a few key players, notably starting catcher Austin Wells, who hasn’t played in recent days after being hit in the hand over the weekend. Fortunately, the x-rays on Wells’ hand came back negative, but his absence was felt, particularly in terms of offensive production.
Shaking Up the Batting Order
To conclude the three-game series against Texas on Wednesday, the Yankees adjusted their batting order by moving Jazz Chisholm to the cleanup spot. Wells had been serving as the primary cleanup hitter over the past few weeks, with Giancarlo Stanton batting fifth.
Wells’ Impressive Performance at Cleanup
Batting in the cleanup position, Wells has been impressive, hitting .316/.376/.537, with five home runs, 21 RBIs, and a .913 OPS. In short, he had been delivering in nearly every category, but the Yankees are now looking to find similar production in his absence.
Chisholm’s Potential at Cleanup
Jazz Chisholm has shown promise in the cleanup role, albeit over a smaller sample size. In just 29 at-bats batting cleanup this season, he’s hitting .276/.432/.552. These numbers are solid, so the Yankees are willing to give him a shot in this role, especially with Stanton performing better in the fifth spot.
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Stanton Thriving in the Five-Hole
Giancarlo Stanton has shown significant improvement, batting fifth. Over 186 at-bats in this position, he’s hitting .263/.318/.602. His slugging percentage in the five-hole is almost double what it was when batting fourth over a similar number of at-bats. The Yankees are cautious not to make too many changes to the lineup, recognizing that Stanton is finding more success further down in the order.
With these adjustments, the Yankees hope to maintain offensive momentum and find the right combination to drive them forward as the postseason approaches.