Yanks would love to get a lefty
CCashman:h Bombersb ideallyidll needd to signi more left-handed hitters, but it’s not a priority
With DJ LeMahieu the Yankees’ top priority this winter and Brian Cashman also having to figure out exactly what his rotation is going to be, finding some balance isn’t exactly a top priority. The Bombers’ GM, however, said if he could find some left-handed batters to compliment his right-handed heavy offense, that would be “ideal.”
It’s clearly not high on the list of must-haves.
“We do have a collection of really high-end talent, right-handed bats that do handle right-handed pitching,” Cashman said earlier this week on MLB Network radio. “But that doesn’t mean it’s not susceptible and vulnerable when you have some elite reliever coming in that can match up with you to neutralize you later in the game or to shorten the game as they exploit that area.”
In fact, the Yankees’ right-handed hitters have been excellent against right-handed pitchers in the regular season. Their OPS+ is 27 points higher against righties (119) than their 92 OPS+ against lefties. Only Aaron Judge and Gleyber Torres had better numbers against lefties than right handers.
The Yankees have traditionally had power hitters from the left sid,e or perhaps even more importantly, switch hitters when they have won the World Series. Those switch hitters, like Bernie Williams, Jorge Posada and Mark Teixeira, made the Bombers lineups tough, particularly in the postseasons.
These Yankees have just Aaron Hicks as a switch hitter on the roster. From the left side, after letting Brett Gardner walk, they have backup infielders Tyler Wade and Mike Ford as well as outfielder Mike Tauchman.
That lack of lefty-hitting depth isn’t keeping Cashman up at nights, but he’s looking at options.
“I wouldn’t say it’s a weakness, but it makes you more vulnerable,” Cashman said. “If I can alleviate that, great. If I can’t, I don’t want to sacrifice the overall strength of a player and drop down a category or two by swapping out a player.
“Those are the inner discussions we have internally,” Cashman continued. “‘Hey, do you acquire this guy? He’s not as good as the guy you currently have, but he is left-handed and what’s the cost to acquire and does it make you better?’ If the answer comes back that the cost is prohibitive or it doesn’t really make you better, but it does balance you out a little bit, we’ve treaded water on that so far.”
Cashman doesn’t consider it a weakness — and he’s right for most of the regular season — but it can make the Yankees’ lineup really vulnerable in the postseason, like in October when they got dominated by the Rays’ stable of right-handed power arms. In the regular season, the Yankees hit just .213 and went 2-8 against the Rays, whose lineup is well balanced, before losing to them in the American League Division Series.
It’s obvious from his remarks, Cashman isn’t going to go out and sign a lefty hitter just to wedge him into the roster. The Yankees have expressed some interest in lefty-hitting outfielder Michael Brantley and Kyle Schwarber, who the Yankees flirted with trying to trade for in the past, was non-tendered by the Cubs and is available. Schwarber has the ideal power profile and swing for Yankee Stadium’s short porch in right field. Signing those players, however, would require Cashman to move some players — like a Tauchman or Clint Frazier — to make room for him in the outfield.
The Yankees are also considering a reunion with the lefty-hitting Gardner, even after declining his option this fall.
There is another possible reunion that could help balance the Yankees lineup.
After Torres’ unimpressive first season as the Yankees’ full-time shortstop, Cashman said repeatedly the young slugger is a better second baseman. If the Yankees are not able to re-sign DJ LeMahieu, they could at least upgrade their defense and lineup with a move at shortstop. Didi Gregorius, who left as a free agent after the 2019 season, is available after one season with the Phillies. At the very least, he could be a good stop-gap that helps add balance to the lineup, until the Yankees can shop in the deep shortstop free agent market next winter.