Yankees' misfiring offense could use quick tuneup
Yankees' Franchy Cordero returns to the dugout after he lined out against the Minnesota Twins during the eighth inning of an MLB baseball game at Yankee Stadium on Thursday, April 13, 2023. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
Any way the Yankee can speed up this whole Shohei Ohtani derby and get him in pinstripes by the weekend?
Kidding, obviously. And chances are Ohtani doesn’t wind up within 2,000 miles of the Bronx when the former MVP signs his next contract at the end of this season.
But the Yankees’ desperation at the plate, heading into Wednesday’s middle game of Ohtani Week in New York, feels like a real thing lately, exacerbated by the missing Giancarlo Stanton (Grade 2 hamstring strain) and however you may view Josh Donaldson, who appeared to suffer a setback Tuesday night at Double-A Somerset in his rehab for his own hamstring injury.
You could argue that Donaldson’s prolonged absence is a net positive, but he did show signs of a rebound in the Grapefruit League (.985 OPS) and one of his two hits in five regular-season games was a homer before landing on the IL. That’s a reach, I know, but the Yankees are looking awfully thin recently from an offensive standpoint and could use any help they can get.
Donaldson was expected back as early as Wednesday before experiencing some hamstring discomfort with Somerset, and manager Aaron Boone described his status as “in a “holding pattern” while the team checked him out further. For his part, Donaldson didn’t sound overly concerned. But he is 37, and when the chilly weather starts re-aggravating injuries, it’s not an encouraging sign.
“We’re trying to make the best decision here,” Donaldson said before Wednesday night’s game. “At the end of the day, my mindset is that it’s not anything major. Let’s keep it that way.”
In the meantime, Boone and his army of front-office analysts are left throwing darts to determine the best lineup configurations on a daily basis. Wednesday’s was the 16th different lineup used in first 18 games, but the Yankees are shuffling a roster of unproductive choices once they get past the top five in the order.
The results have reflected that. Heading into Wednesday, the Yankees were averaging 4.47 runs per game, which ranked 20th in the majors, the byproduct of hitting .232 (23rd) with a .726 OPS (14th). While they’re fourth in MLB with 1.53 homers per game, 34.2 % of their runs have scored via the longball, so at least the Yankees are relatively consistent in that area (31.4% a year ago).
Obviously, Aaron Judge smacking an AL-record 62 homers last season was a huge boost to their MLB-leading total of 254 overall. But when the Yankees fail to go deep — as they did in Tuesday’s 5-2 loss for only the second time in 17 games this season — it becomes problematic. Losing Stanton is a significant contributing factor, but that’s also nothing new — this is his fifth straight season with an IL stint. But with both him and Donaldson unavailable, the Yankees wind up with someone like Willie Calhoun as Wednesday’s DH, and that’s a sub-optimal situation.
What happens when the Franchy Cordero bubble bursts? Cordero entered Wednesday on an early April tear, with four homers and 11 RBIs through his first seven games, but had since cooled to 1-for-12 (one single) over the next four games. He was in the No. 9 spot Wednesday, playing rightfield, the anchor of the Yankees’ bottom half that had Oswaldo Cabrera (.245) as its most consistent bat. That’s a tough place to be, even in mid-April, with the Yankees trying to make up for a battered rotation, too.
To say Boone needs more production from 40% of his daily lineup is hardly a revelation. Just surprising that it’s slipped to this degree for a $290 million team, already looking up at the surging Rays, who currently feature far more firepower at nearly a quarter of the price. Maybe Tampa Bay has feasted early on the league’s punching bags, but the Yankees are stuck playing whoever’s in front of them each night, and Boone’s been short on solutions, other than crossing his fingers when Nos. 6 through 9 are at bat.
“I think you’re always looking for people to step up,” Boone said Wednesday afternoon. “We’re trying to put guys in the best position to be successful and to impact the team on a given day. You’re trying to get individuals ready to perform, so wherever that comes, you’ll take it.”
Judge isn’t quite carrying the team yet, coming off his MVP season and a new $360 million contract, but was still leading the Yankees with five homers. Instead, it’s been Anthony Rizzo, who’s at the top with a .966 OPS and hitting a club-best .310 (18-for-58), the latter stat no doubt partially helped by the shift ban. As Boone alluded to, he’ll gladly accept whatever lucky bounces that kick the Yankees’ way.
“I think he has benefited from that,” Boone said. “I can think of three or four hits that probably aren’t hits last year. So there’s that.”
The Yankees could use a few more from a few other people as well. Another bat doesn’t seem to be coming through that door any time soon.
David Lennon is an award-winning columnist, a voter for baseball's Hall of Fame and has covered six no-hitters, including two perfect games.
