New York Yankees: Who Goes When the Vets Return?
The Tougher Decisions
Cut: Cameron Maybin, Replacement: Aaron Hicks
Cameron Maybin was a last-ditch effort to fill the 10-day injured list void of Clint Frazier and it’s definitely paid off. He’s only appeared in three series for the bombers but has faced the likes of Zack Greinke, Madison Bumgarner, and Jake Odorizzi and has held his own at the plate.
He’s batting .333 and is proving to be a veteran presence on the field and in the clubhouse. Hicks will more than likely return sometime this month, so it looks as though Maybin’s time as a starting outfielder will come to a close but he was a huge contributor for the Yankees in these past eight games.
Aaron Hicks is a force in the Bombers lineup and when he gets back from his rehab assignments will regain his spot in the outfield.
Cut: Thairo Estrada, Replacement: Greg Bird
If you’ve ever read my Yankees articles before, you know that I’m not a Greg Bird fan. Like him or not, however, he’s going to be on the 25-man roster when he comes back from injury. That may not be the worst thing for a guy like Thairo Estrada. In his 18 plate appearances for the Yanks, Estrada is batting .333 which is even better than the .273 he was hitting in the minors.
Looking at it from a long term perspective, the kid is only 23 and solely came up to the bigs to take the place of day-to-day DJ LeMahieu. He’s earned his right to stay up for the time being until Bird comes back (Which hasn’t been announced with a definite timetable yet) but for now, any experience at the MLB level for Estrada is great.
Cut: Tyler Wade, Replacement: Troy Tulowitzki
There were times when Tyler Wade fluctuated from the easy cuts list all the way to the toughest cut on the young roster and that ultimately makes it a pretty tough decision. He’s only batted .204 in his 20 games played in Pinstripes this year but he’s had massive games where it makes you scratch your head and wonder what he would be like with a little consistency.
His series against the Angels in Anaheim was definitely one to remember as he was crucial in providing contact hits and stellar base running. Troy Tulowitzki is clearly the superior guy at the plate but Wade’s versatility in the field varies from position to position and will make him a valued asset in the next few years.