The Yankees can either call up first baseman/outfielder Nick Swisher from Triple-A or try to trade suspended closer Aroldis Chapman for a bat as a way to spark their offense, writes Barry A. Bloom of MLB.com. Of course, it’s debatable whether either action would present any kind of solution. Swisher – whom the Yankees signed to a minor league deal earlier this month – is raking in Triple-A (.381/.440/.571 in 25 plate appearances) and was a terrific major leaguer from 2005-13, including four seasons in pinstripes. However, more recently, he was among the majors’ worst regulars the previous two seasons, has dealt with knee problems, and was jettisoned by both the Indians and Braves. Although the Yankees’ Dellin Betances– and Andrew Miller-led bullpen has fared well without Chapman, who will return next month, it’s difficult to imagine a prospective contender dealing a legitimate offensive producer for less than a season of control over the flame-throwing lefty. Plus, despite the Yankees’ early RISP troubles (their .668 OPS with men in scoring position ranks 20th), their offense is still a solid 10th in the league in wRC+.
Here’s more from the AL East and one NL East team:
- Orioles right-hander Yovani Gallardo, who left Friday’s start after two innings because of shoulder discomfort, will see team orthopedist Dr. Mike Jacobs in Baltimore today, reports Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun. Gallardo told Encina that his shoulder began acting up while getting loose in the bullpen before Friday’s game. “My shoulder just didn’t feel right. To be honest, it was one of those feelings that I’ve never had my whole career,” he said. That’s a particularly alarming admission from a player who signed a two-year deal with the Orioles in February after the team nixed an agreed-upon third year because of a shoulder problem that came to the forefront in Gallardo’s physical. The 30-year-old has also experienced a notable velocity drop this season, which manager Buck Showalter acknowledged Friday. “I’ve done all the looks at his average velocity in April and May. Every start I’ve looked at them. He’s down,” Showalter said.
- Betances and Miller have been brilliant out of the Yankees’ bullpen this year, but David Schoenfield of ESPN.com argues that the team isn’t getting as much from them as it could. The two have logged 15 appearances between them, and only once has manager Joe Girardi deployed either for longer than an inning of work (Betances got four outs April 12). That isn’t good enough, opines Schoenfield, who believes the Yankees should lean more heavily on both of them until Chapman returns, citing Betances’ ability to handle a significant workload (he easily led all relievers with a combined 174 innings from 2014-15) and Miller’s past as a starter.
- The Braves are willing to overlook third baseman Adonis Garcia’s defensive struggles because of his above-average offensive output, according to Mark Bowman of MLB.com. In 74 games dating back to last season, Garcia has hit a palatable .285/.318/472, though his .870 fielding percentage ranks last among major league third basemen who have accrued at least 120 chances going back to 1910, per Bowman. “He’s not a third baseman. He plays hitter,” manager Fredi Gonzalez said of Garcia. In fairness to Garcia, over a 345-inning sample size at third in 2015, he was only a bit below average by the standards of advanced metrics like defensive runs saved and ultimate zone rating.
- The Red Sox seem pleased with Hanley Ramirez’s transition from left field to first base, and the 32-year-old has won fans over with his effort and attitude, but the club needs more from him offensively, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe offers. Ramirez, a career .296/.366/.493 hitter, is batting a disappointing .277/.290/400 with 17 strikeouts and two walks in 69 PAs this year. Since signing a four-year, $88MM contract with Boston in November 2014, the Red Sox’s current No. 5 hitter has put up a below-average .253/.291/.423 line in 499 PAs.
Last place going back to 1910?
Correct.
The only problem with looking over his defensive struggles is that we have Bonifacio sitting in the minors batting almost .400 this season who can play 3rd, short, or second.. Though his numbers weren’t great in the majors the past few years, I believe he can field better and provide speed and a more than decent but not great bat
Bonifacio is no Brooks Robinson so I would rather keep the offense in the line up. But def gonna need to replace Garcia as the rebuild goes. Wanted Beltre to mentor the young infielders but with him reupping in Texas I think a Prado reunion would be great. Keep Garcia as a pinch hit/DH/backup 1st/3rd LF. He could still see close to 300 at bats any givin year.
#neverbonifacio
Braves could trade Freddie Freeman and Tyler Flowers to the Yankees for Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez, Luis Severino, and Ian Clarkin.
Sure thats enough? Maybe the yanks should throw in the 96 and 99 trophies and pick up the bill for suntrust stadium too
The Yankees wouldn’t do that even if you “threw in” Dansby Swanson, Aaron Blair & Matt Wisler!”
You sir, that will never happen.
Freddy Freeman can’t hit a baseball anymore
lol based on what? 50 at bats? Thank god you’re not a scout.
Based on his 118wRC+ in the second half of last year and miserable start this year.
He hasn’t been the same since the wrist injury. Keep on the homer glasses though.
Or maybe just maybe he needs some protection in the lineup? He can’t do everything and to say he can’t hit based on a half season and 50 plate appearances on a team that everyone (even so called Braves fans) hate seems a bit ridiculous. So yes i’ll keep my homer glasses on.
But hey what do I know right? You’re the new GM that the organization failed to mention
It’s been proven that protection in a line up has little to no effect on a hitter’s production.
I’m not sure why you think that one needs to be a gm to notice that a player has been playing poorly, Further, how do you conform that opinion with your own actions here, protesting that he’ll be fine and it’s a protection issue. Surely that means that you are a gm. Oh wait, it doesn’t? Because that idea is just ridiculous? You have no actual reasons to back up your argument and are just falling back on “you’re not a gm” to deflect that.
Dude injured his wrist, he has been noticeably worse sense then. Even he says that he can’t catch up to fastballs. Sometimes a sss is too little to judge a player on. When it’s something like this, where he was injured, and it’s pretty visually obvious that there is more at issue than just some bad luck, I find no issue with a 350+ish sample size.
You’re clueless, in denial, or both.
Yup I’m so clueless. Thats why hes hitting .321 in the last 7 games w/ a homerun. It could just be you’re an overreacting fan who throws his hands up in the air after 1 month.
But you know everything. So I’ll just keep riding around with these blinding glasses
Correction now .444 with 2 homers in the last 7 games, .315 in the last 15. Since you opened your mouth hes been hitting like Freddie. Spraying the ball all over the field.
so you ready to admit you’re clueless, in denial or both?
Well he hit 2 homers today. So that happened. I’m really digging these homer glasses i got
People still dogging the Orioles for their physicals?
The Yankees would NEVER make that trade. They said they would keep judge cuz he’s prolly going in for Beltran after this year and he would prolly retire after this season anyways. They said they would keep severino cuz he’s already a force in the Yankees rotation he’s prolly the #2 right now. They said they would keep Gary Sanchez cuz he’s the yanks future catcher and he provides a big bat as well as good glove behind the dish. Now Ian clarkin is totally separated from those 3 guys as he has a WAY bigger chance to be traded cuz they are stacked in he minors with pitching.
Braves third baseman of the future is either Rio Ruiz or Dansby Swanson, a Matt Carpenter Clone. Sooner the better.
Swanson is playing SS. Albies is playing 2nd. Ruiz or a FA at third
Everyone was talking bad about the Orioles when they shortened Gallardo’s contract because of his physical. Look who was right now.
Giving a pitcher you believe has a shoulder problem $22M doesn’t make you right, it makes you look stupid for signing him in the first place.
That probably feels great for the Orioles, huh? If it was so bad why sign him at all?
Schoenfield should learn of what happen to that great bullpen that Atlanta had a few years back, you can’t overblown these guys arms it just won’t happen, so what if they were a starter. The more you come out everyday or pitch longer than you should of how today’s pitching is and how it’s becoming with all the TJS. It’s just going to get worst.
What a ridiculous article. Must have been a slow news day. Nick Swisher, who couldn’t make the Braves as a bench bat even though they were already paying him, being the solution for the Yankees offensive woes? Trading a suspended player in the last year of his contract, which means no QO or draft pick to the acquiring team? Neither are going to be answers. Swishers done. Chapman was acquired cheaply, and is worth a lot less currently.
If Gallardo misses time due to surgery, I foresee the Orioles making their physicals tougher to pass. Will be fun finding FA’s who want to sign with them in the future.
Royals deadline trade Beltran/Nova for Bonifacio/Fuentes/Almonte/Pounders/Merrifield , hell I’d do it now
> over a 345-inning sample size at third in 2015, [Garcia] was only a bit below average by the standards of advanced metrics like defensive runs saved
In that sample, he was -3 DRS. Already this year he is -4 DRS!
Adonis Garcia will make a great DH.
wRC+? LOL. Sabermetrics are stupid. If you can’t hit with risp, you aren’t going to be a winning ballclub, I don’t care how many guys you get on base. Sabermetrician’s are so hung up on obp they forget you still need players to knock in whomever is on the bases. Smh.
wRC+ is not just about OBP. Besides, your logic is flawed; obviously the more guys you get on base, the better your odds are of scoring. Your team is theoretically going to have the same number of hits in a game/season either way, so the more often men are on, the more those hits will bring in runs. If you’re subscribing to the notion of some players being ‘clutch’ or not clutch, the jury is still out on whether that is even a thing.
From my understanding of this farce known as sabermetrics, getting on base is the most important thing to the mathletes that subscribe to it. As you have said, you believe ” clutch ” hitting isn’t a thing. Typical comment from guys that have most likely never played the game past LL. While any player is going to get hits with risp occasionally, there are players that are more reliable in such situations. I love how SABR believers will throw any and every kind of ridiculous stat at you, yet they will tell you a player’s avg w/ risp is meaningless. Lol. Disgusting how billion dollar franchises have been duped into buying this junk by these rotisserie league heroes.