Minor Tauchman trade made a major impact
When Mike Tauchman was acquired from the Rockies late last March for lefty reliever Phillip Diehl, some in the scouting community viewed the transaction as nothing more than the Yankees getting a Triple-A outfielder who could fill in at the big league level.
Of course, Tauchman proved to be significantly more than that and was missed — due to a strained left calf suffered in September— during the 2019 postseason.
In 87 games, the left-handed hitter became the third former Rockie to help the Yankees stroll to the AL East title last season, by seven lengths over the secondplace Rays.
Free agent signees DJ LeMahieu and Adam Ottavino played a huge part in the Yankees’ 103-win season. LeMahieu hit .327 with 26 homers, 102 RBIs, posted a .893 OPS, was an All-Star and finished fourth in the AL MVP race. Ottavino was part of a dominant bullpen and whiffed 88 in 66 ¹/3 innings, posting a career-best 1.90 ERA.
Meanwhile, in four stints with the Yankees, Tauchman hit .277 with 13 homers, 47 RBIs and posted a .865 OPS.
With outfielders Giancarlo Stanton (18 games played), Aaron Judge (102), Aaron Hicks (59) and Jacoby Ellsbury (0) all missing significant time, Tauchman’s versatility was very helpful.
“What you had to like about him was he can play center field as well as the other outfield spots,’’ an NL scout said of the 6-foot-2, 220-pound Tauchman, who played center field in 14 (11 starts) games. He was in left for 59 (55 starts) games and played 19 (11 starts) in right. “He is a very good outfielder and a real solid team player. He can run and throw and is not limited to the corners.’’
Despite outstanding minor league numbers, Tauchman was unable to force his way into the Rockies’ outfield that had Charlie Blackmon, David Dahl, Ian Desmond and Raimel Tapia blocking his path.
In 2017, Tauchman hit .331 with 16 homers, 80 RBIs and posted a .941 OPS in 110 games for Triple-A Albuquerque. The following season, Tauchman batted .323 with 20 homers, 81 RBIs and had a .978 OPS in 112 games at the same locale. Even in the Pacific Coast League, where hitters thrive, those numbers are impressive.
Yankees scout Kendall Carter and the analytical arm of the organization liked Tauchman despite a .153 (9-for-59; zero homers) average with a .468 OPS in a combined 52 big league games in 2017 and 2018. Though the Yankees liked Tyler Wade’s ability to play the infield and the outfield, they viewed Tauchman as a better fit and optioned Wade to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on March 24, 2019. That cleared a roster spot for Tauchman to make his first big league Opening Day roster.
Now, if the owners and players agree on an avenue to salvage some sort of a season, which has been dormant since spring training vanished on March 12 due the COVID-19 pandemic, Tauchman will have an important role.
While the Yankees could use Stanton in left field, a DH role seems more likely for the right-handed hitting outfielder who appeared in one spring training game (two atbats) this year due to a Grade 1 strain of his right calf suffered during fielding drills. Judge is still working back from a fractured top right rib and could be ready for a July start in right field. If switch-hitter Hicks isn’t fully recovered from Tommy John surgery on his right elbow, Brett Gardner will handle center. That Tauchman provides solid defense at all three spots will help keep Aaron Boone from overplaying the other outfielders following a short preseason training period.
There are times when a trade appears to be pedestrian and turns into something much more. Boone had spoken highly of Diehl before the Tauchman deal, but the pitcher’s first taste of the big leagues didn’t wow anybody since he had a 7.36 ERA in 10 outings in 2019.