Yankees bringing up some kids is right approach, even if it doesn't work
Everson Pereira of the Yankees runs to first base as he grounds out to end the fourth inning against the Nationals at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday. Credit: Jim McIsaac
On a handful of occasions the past few seasons, during pivotal moments of a particularly desperate stretch, general manager Brian Cashman has reached down to the minors in the hope of reinvigorating his moribund Yankees.
Tuesday’s call-up of Everson Pereira and Oswald Peraza was not one of those times.
Not specifically for that purpose, anyway. Was Cashman imagining a youthful spark that could ignite the “unbelievable” run that his manager Aaron Boone referenced Sunday as the team’s only chance for the playoffs? Absolutely. The Yankees aren’t mathematically eliminated yet.
But that’s not the primary goal in summoning Pereira and Peraza from Triple-A Scranton. Consider these next five weeks an episode of “Bronx Idol,” an extended audition for the 2024 roster, and both just got upgraded to the big-league round.
To even suggest that the RailRiders’ duo could trigger some meaningful rebound in these Dead Yankees Walking is putting unfair expectations on the youngsters. And the Dive Bombers remained in free-fall Tuesday, managing only two hits, both by Ben Rortvedt, in a 2-1 loss to the Nats that extended their losing streak to nine games, the franchise’s longest since 1982. That dropped the Yankees to five games under .500 (60-65) and 10 1/2 games out of the third-wild card spot.
If the likes of Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and Gerrit Cole — that’s more than $1 billion in salary right there — couldn’t prevent these Yankees from going belly up, importing Pereira and Peraza isn’t going to be much of a needle-mover in the standings. But there is value in their promotion, of course. In flicking the switch to evaluation mode, the Yankees can get a read on what they have for 2024 and beyond, so now’s a good time as any to start that process.
Pereira made his major-league debut Tuesday night in leftfield — a notorious blind spot for the Yankees in recent years — and the plan is for him to get regular reps at the position. Peraza lost the starting shortstop gig to Anthony Volpe in spring training, but he arrived with 37 big-league games (.238 BA) already under his belt, and he’ll take over at third base for the immediate future.
“I think we have some exciting young players, whether they’re here now already or in our system, and in some cases, other guys still knocking on the door,” Boone said before Tuesday’s game. “To be able to get a look up close with regular at-bats, so kind of make stronger, better evaluations, and expose them to tougher competition, those are all important things to help you try to have a really good understanding of what you have.”
On paper, what the Yankees have is the 21st-ranked farm system, according to MLB Pipeline’s midseason ratings, and Pereira was third on the team’s list (No. 80 overall in the majors) behind Spencer Jones (78) and Jasson “The Martian” Dominguez (79). Is that good enough to supplement the Yankees as they try to retool around the rubble from this season? At the moment, the answer seems to be no.
Here in the last week of August, the Yankees are sending out a nightly lineup that includes a pair of above-average players in Judge — still obviously nursing a toe injury — and Gleyber Torres. The rest is a jumble of underperforming contracts and placeholders. That puts the bar fairly low for Pereira and Peraza as both try to establish a lasting foothold in the Bronx — joining former Scranton teammates Volpe and Oswaldo Cabrera — so at least they have that going for them.
“It’s a special opportunity for us,” Pereira said through an interpreter. “We’re dreamers. And our dream is right in front of us.”
The Yankees are dreaming right along with them. It’s all Cashman can do for now, after standing pat at the trade deadline and now sitting uncomfortably with the knowledge that his $294 million payroll — the second highest the sport — is turning out to be the worst investment of Hal Steinbrenner’s ownership.
Pereira and Peraza aren’t going to change that. But prospects do deliver the promise of something better, even if that potential doesn’t always come to fruition. The Yankees took a leap of faith in handing Volpe the shortstop job for Opening Day and he’s hung tough through a roller-coaster season that’s produced some memorable highs accompanied by soul-crushing lows. Volpe entered Tuesday hitting .217, but with 17 homers and his 50 RBIs were tied with Torres for the team lead.
Is Volpe the franchise shortstop the Yankees were banking on? At 22, he’s still a work in progress. But the Yankees are going to need some economical, homegrown talent to plant around the $360 million Judge in the years ahead, and they’ve learned the hard way that overpriced veterans aren’t a reliable blueprint for success anymore. The pitch clock and shift ban have created a sport that requires more youth and athleticism, which the Yankees will have to mine down below in their farm system. Maybe Pereira and Peraza can give them a head start.
“We’re making a commitment to these guys,” Boone said.
The 2023 season? That’s in the dumpster.
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.
