New York Yankees: How do Yanks stack up against top AL contenders?
By Sean Dyer
Right Fielders
- Mookie Betts (BOS) – 4 points
- Aaron Judge (NYY) – 3 points
- Josh Reddick (HOU) – 2 points
- Lonnie Chisenhall (CLE) – 1 point
The battle for top right fielder is a good one and one worth watching this season. Both players have put up MVP-caliber seasons; Mookie Betts in 2016 and Aaron Judge in 2017. Neither player has an MVP to their name but that could change in 2018.
Betts gets the top spot because even though 2017 was a “down year” compared to his 2016 campaign, he still had a damn good year. After hitting .318 with 42 doubles, 31 home runs, 113 RBI, 122 runs, and 26 stolen bases in 2016, expectations were sky high for Mookie. He didn’t quite live up to them but to call his 2017 season a disappointment would be overreacting. Betts hit .264 with 46 doubles, 24 home runs, 102 RBI, 101 runs, and 26 stolen bases. Betts also won a Gold Glove in 2016 and 2017. The man really can do it all and will be an MVP candidate again this season.
Judge is in a similar seat as Betts was last season; trying to build off an incredible, MVP-caliber season. However, to ask Judge to improve in his rookie season seems like a bit much. Judge hit .284 with 24 doubles, 52 home runs (MLB rookie record), 114 RBI, and 128 runs. He was the unanimous AL Rookie of the Year.
Judge may not endure a sophomore slump, especially with Giancarlo Stanton hitting behind him, but a downtick in production should be expected. 50+ home runs every year is unrealistic of anyone outside of the steroid era. Judge also strikes out a ton and had a miserable second half slump (.228, 22 HR, 48 RBI) that was saved by a monster September (.311, 15 HR, 32 RBI).
I expect Judge to have another great year. But until he does so, I can’t put him ahead of Betts.
Josh Reddick had a solid 2017 season but is nowhere near Betts and Judge. Reddick hit .313 last year with 13 home runs and 82 RBI. He was also able to score 77 runs in one of baseball’s best offenses. Reddick is a solid right fielder and should see his offensive numbers stay above his career averages because of the hitters around him, but he’ll never jump the two superstars in front of him on this list.
Lonnie Chisenhall is last and, realistically, least on this list. Chisenhall is a decent player who hit .288 with 12 home runs and 53 RBI last year, but he played just 82 games because he platoons with Brandon Guyer.