Yankees must decide who’s on first
At the end of the season, Aaron Boone said that Luke Voit took the first base job heading into 2019. With Greg Bird having a disastrous year and the 27-year-old Voit having a breakout season, it makes sense the first-year manager would indicate that.
But is that really how the Yankees look at first base in 2019?
The Bombers need to find ways to upgrade their offense if they are going to win the race with the Red Sox for the division title, and first base is one place they can make some changes. The Diamondbacks have put out word that they are willing to listen to offers about their players, meaning six-time All Star first baseman Paul Goldschmidt is available.
The 31-year-old had a .290/ .389/.533 slash line this season, overcoming a slow start. The right-handed hitting Goldschmidt is owed $14 million next season and is a free agent in 2020, meaning he would not be an extraordinary cost in terms of prospects.
Goldschmidt is a very reliable middle-of-the order bat who has consistently been a solid defensive first baseman, with six defensive runs saved this season. That would be a solid upgrade at first base, but the Yankees have to weigh that against the cost the Diamondbacks ask and the trickle down effect of other offseason moves they make. If they could sign Manny Machado and he moves to third base after Didi Gregorius returns from Tommy John surgery, first base would be a spot the Yankees could hand over to Miguel Andujar.
The free-agent market for first basemen is limited with 36-year-old Steve Pearce and 32-year-old former Met Lucas Duda due to hit the market. There are also versatile utility infielders like Neil Walker, who played 42 games at first this season.
But first and foremost, the Yankees have to take a long, hard look at what they already have.
Voit had a breakout season at the plate.
After the Cardinals gave up on him as their first baseman of the future, the Yankees were able to acquire him in a late July trade in a deal that also gave the Bombers international slot money.
In 39 games with the Yankees, Voit slashed .333/.405/ .689. He drove in 33 runs and crushed 14 homers when the Bombers needed it most during the second half when they were overcoming the loss of Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez and Gregorius at different times.
He deserves his chance to go into spring training and compete for a spot.
But the reason that the Cardinals were willing to move Voit at the trade deadline is because they felt he could not play first base consistently.
To be fair, Voit did not look terrible there, but he did have some rough moments. He had a minus-7 defensive runs saved rating at first base this season, which means he projects more as a designated hitter than a first baseman.
And then there is Bird, the 25-year-old whom the Yankees don't seem ready to give up on yet. He hit .199 with 11 home runs and 38 RBI with a .286 on-base and .386 slugging percentage in 82 games this season. He had a minus-3 defensive runs saved rating as it became clear his offensive struggles were bleeding over into his defense.
After years of injuries, this was the first year Bird stayed healthy for a full season and with a swing that scouts and hitting professionals rave about, Boone wasn't ready to give up on him.
“In some ways, he never got all the way back physically to, I think, where he'll be next year," Boone said. “I think there's a realistic chance he comes into spring training next year, physically in a really good place with a chance of a normal offseason where he gets his body where he wants it. Hopefully the results from that will follow. He'll have his opportunities. We've never lost sight of the fact that when he's right, can really hit.”