Jon Berti was expected to play in rehab games this weekend, potentially giving the New York Yankees some much-needed depth in their infield as guys like DJ LeMahieu have greatly disappointed. Unfortunately, he’s going to need some more time on the sideline as the Yankees will have him shut down any plans of getting him into rehab action as he had a setback in recovery that will require him to get PRP injections. Aaron Boone revealed this to the media prior to tonight’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays, as the Yankees open up a four-game set at home against their AL East rivals.
A blow to their infield depth chart, more pressure is placed on Brian Cashman to find infield options ahead of the July 30th deadline.
Setback Halts Jon Berti’s Return to the Yankees
The Yankees are looking pretty rough in their infield right now, as Jon Berti is one of their better options at second and arguably their best option at third base right now. He would have begun a rehab assignment this week, but this PRP injection will halt any progression as they’ll have to see how his body responds to it. The speedy veteran has been a solid player throughout his MLB career, including being both an above-average hitter and defender at multiple positions for the Miami Marlins last season.
For the Yankees, Jon Berti had a 90 wRC+ with good defensive numbers at both third base and second base, but they’ll have to hope and pray DJ LeMahieu and Oswaldo Cabrera can hold the fort down as they approach the deadline. It hasn’t been a good season for Gleyber Torres either, but his 90 wRC+ is far more tolerable than what either LeMahieu or Cabrera have contributed at the dish, and there’s some optimism that the young infielder could turn things around in the second half.
Some names that the Yankees could target at the trade deadline include Brandon Lowe, Isaac Paredes, Luis Rengifo, and Yandy Diaz, but it’s unsure who will or won’t sell as the third Wild Card has kept most teams in contention. Brian Cashman has his work cut out for him, and we’ll see if the Yankees are able to make the necessary additions to bolster this roster adequately.