Miguel Andújar

Are the New York Yankees done with Gio Urshela at third base?

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New York Yankees, Gio Urshela

The New York Yankees scraped and clawed away at the 2019 regular season after losing several starters to injury. Their scrappy nature and ability to fill essential positions with unexplainable quality allowed them to break the 100-win mark. Third baseman, Gio Urshela, played a massive part in the team’s success, hitting .314 on the year and locking down the hot corner after the injury to Miguel Andujar.

The decision to keep Urshela, a career average player, at the third base, will be difficult for the Yankees and manager Aaron Boone. Still, it shouldn’t take much to justify his solidification at the position. Urshela offered high offensive production and a valuable defensive glove all season for the Yanks, and he might have earned himself an extension and the starting role, despite the return of Andujar.

The question is, do the Yankees resort back to their youth player or stick with the veteran who proved himself this year?

After taking over for Andujar, Urshela finished the first half of the season with a 117 wRC+ and league-average defense. Andujar’s deficiency is with his glove, which is concerning, especially considering he barely played in 2019. The veteran was even more stellar in the second half of the year, logging a 148 wRC+ and stellar defensive measures.

Can the New York Yankees trust Gio Urshela?

The primary concern with Gio is his consistency, as, before his most recent campaign, the highest he ever hit was .233. Sky-rocketing to .314 is undoubtedly impressive, but the reality is, those numbers may never repeat themselves. If he can replicate that in 2020, the Yanks should insert him into the third-base spot and forget about ever considering his replacing.

Also, it’s important to note that Boone could look to play the hot hand. Having two quality options at any given position is a significant problem to have, so we can rule out a potential trade or free-agent pickup. The salary allocations must be focused on the starting pitching rotation, which leaves the hot corner in the hands of Urshela and Andujar.

Are the New York Yankees the favorites to sign Gerrit Cole this offseason?

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Could the Yankees pursue Gerrit Cole this offseason?

Gaining the best pitching baseball would not only be a massive boost to the New York Yankees starting pitching rotation, but it would provide them with a player to lean on when the going gets tough. This season, Bombers were forced to guess with the pitching at times, unsure if their starters would rise to the occasion or falter in the face of adversity.

James Paxton was one of the risers, as he pitched well in the postseason and proved his worth for 2020. J.A. Happ faltered, and Luis Severino was decent in limited action after missing a majority of the regular season. However, they have an opportunity to add an arm that would revolutionize their team and make reaching the World Series that much easier.

Houston Astros pitcher Gerrit Cole is the featured pitcher, and the Yankees will undoubtedly make a bid after speaking with mega-agent, Scott Boras. Cole will likely earn $30+ million per season, which could cause issues with the Yankees’ luxury tax threshold, especially if other players are being considered at a high price point.

Third baseman Anthony Rendon has also been linked with the Bombers, but having Miguel Andujar and Gio Urshela should satisfy their needs at the hot-corner if they have a legitimate shot with Cole.

Why the New York Yankees could lose out on Gerrit Cole:

There’s always the possibility that Cole takes his talents elsewhere, but there’s no indication that he does not favor the Yankees. He grew up a fan of the illustrious franchise but also comes from the West Coast, which could influence his decision. Alternatively, he did play for the Houston Astros in the south-east, which makes him coming up North a bit more realistic.

It could ultimately come down to money, and which team is willing to splash the cash for the best pitcher in the MLB. General manager Brian Cashman can not low-ball Cole in this process because any disrespect could send him to a different city.

Theoretically, if the Yankees managed to sign Cole, their starting rotation would look something like this:

  1. Gerrit Cole
  2. Luis Severino
  3. James Paxton
  4. Domingo German (if not suspended)
  5. Masahiro Tanaka
  6. J.A. Happ
  7. Jordan Montgomery
  8. Michael King

New York Yankees: Miguel Andujar Kicks Up Rehab, Will Begin to Throw

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New York Yankees, Miguel Andujar

New York Yankees’ Miguel Andujar is expected to ramp up his rehab where he intends to start throwing again on Monday. The 22-year-old played in 12 games before he decided to get surgery for a shoulder injury that ended his season.

“I’m super excited to start something different,” said Andujar Wednesday. He’s looking forward to begging baseball activities rather than physical therapy rehab he’s been doing since surgery in May.

When asked about how his shoulder is feeling, Andujar said, “It’s stronger now. Just definitely feels better than it did before. Very happy with the work we’ve been doing. It’s shown progression and I’m happy with it.”

The Yankees announced in August that Andujar would begin throwing the next month, so he’s right on schedule with his rehabbing. The club will be mindful with what they do with him, as there’s no rush. They intend to have him be throwing over the next five months to prepare him for next season’s spring training.

Andujar was at Yankee Stadium for Wednesday night’s matchup against the Texas Rangers. “It’s always good to see Miggy,” said manager Aaron Boone who was excited to see his young talent. “He was here… (it) kind of brightens your day a little bit knowing that he’s doing well… he seems to be in really good spirits.”

Andujar signed a 1-year/$617,000 contract with the New York Yankees (Spotrac). In his rookie season, Andujar hit 27 home runs while knocking in 92 runs (Baseball-Reference). He fell short to Shohei Ohtani for the Rookie of the Year award where he placed second.

 

New York Yankees: Reasons Why The Team Should And Shouldn’t Trade Andujar

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New York Yankees, Miguel Andujar

There has been a lot of debate recently on weather New York Yankees third baseman Miguel Andujar should be traded or not. Today we discuss both the pros and cons of trading him.

Pros:

Rough Around The Edges:

Miguel Andujar is a developing star, and still has a lot of improving to do. He isn’t anywhere where he needs to be defensively, and was one of the worst defenders in all of baseball in 2018. His base running smarts can improve, but a lot of that just comes with more experience. His offense is right where it needs to be, he just could cut down the number of pitches he chases.

By trading him, you could avoid more developing time and stick with Gio if he continues to prove himself.

A Lot In Return:

Since Andujar has all-star potential, a trade could see the Yankees getting a lot back for the present and the future. It would be more important to get young prospects in my opinion. Those prospects could take a few years to develop and start to make their way to the MLB once the current guys on the Yankee roster age or leave the team.

Cons:

Losing A Star:

By trading Andujar, you eliminate a player that will make a huge impact on the team down the road. But, Gio Urshela is a rising star and could end up being better than Andujar.

More Pressure On Gio:

That being said, if the team gets rid of Andujar, their faith is in Gio Urshela for the future, and some pressure comes with that, especially in New York. He has handled the pressure perfectly thus far, and the team wouldn’t be in first place without him.

What I Think:

I think that the Yankees should keep Andujar for now. Gio Urshela could be having a fluke season on offense, and we need to have a different plan if he doesn’t pan out next season.

If Urshela continues to rake in 2020, maybe you pull an early season blockbuster and trade Andujar.

 

New York Yankees aren’t willing to trade these two players

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New York Yankees, Gleyber Torres

The New York Yankees need starting pitching support badly, and teams willing to deal know that. The Bombers have little leverage in the realm of the rumor mill, but several valuable players are on the trading block ahead of the July 31 deadline.

With Blue Jays pitcher Marcus Stroman off the table, it leaves the Yanks with one less option. Indians ace Trevor Bauer and Giants’ Madison Bumgarner are two quality pitchers general manager Brian Cashman could be eyeing.

However, both teams will want significant value in a potential deal — starting level players and prospects would likely be included. The Yankees are only willing to deal-specific players, though. Reports of Clint Frazier and Miguel Andujar being available have plastered the headlines lately.

The Yankees have to be willing to give up young players going into their prime if they want to bring in starting-caliber pitchers that can help the team reach the World Series. Overpaying is the issue, considering teams have inquired about second baseman Gleyber Torres, one of the off-limits players for the Yanks.

Frazier and Andujar should provide plenty of sway for teams looking to bolster their offensive production. Both are above average hitters with questionable gloves in the field. With Torres unavailable, the Bombers will have to settle for whoever they can get with only two days left to strike a deal.

The other player that is off-limits is minor-league pitcher Deivi Garcia. The 21-year-old phenom has been lighting it up in the minors and could make a big-league appearance later on in the season. His presence at the top minor league team and an impressive array of pitches make him too valuable to trade at this point.

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Sacrificing the future in an attempt to benefit the presence is not always the best idea. Keeping both Torres and Garcia is the ideal scenario while also picking up a quality pitcher. We can assume the Yanks are shopping Frazier behind the scenes, a player that has fallen below Mike Tauchman this season due to his inability to play the outfield at an average level.

 

New York Yankees: Has Miguel Andujar become a trading piece?

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New York Yankees, Miguel Andujar

The current New York Yankees team has proved to be one of the most resilient and exciting in baseball, especially with the emergence of Gio Urshela at third base and DJ LeMahieu as a rotational infielder.

One question that crosses my mind — is Miguel Andujar expendable now after they’ve found answers in the infield? There are two sides to the argument.

Does Yankees’ Miguel Andujar’s defense make him a liability?

The Yankees’ youthful third baseman had a fantastic rookie campaign at the plate, hitting .297 with 27 homers and 92 RBIs. His fantastic offensive production immediately made him the expected starter for the future at the hot corner for the Bombers, however, his defensive issues have presented a dilemma.

Are the Yanks better off trading Andujar for a starting pitcher? Or should they hang tight and see where his future takes them?

He tallied three errors in four games earlier this year before being transferred to the 60-day injured list with season-ending shoulder surgery. The fact is, his value is at an all-time low, but he’s in a similar situation to Clint Frazier. Both are offensively solid but struggle on the defensive side. The difference being, Frazier has more of an attitude and privileged mentality compared to Andujar who seems to be a true Yankee.

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I see the Yankees sticking with their young gun for the future, considering Urshela is a one-year wonder at this point — as a career .227 hitter currently batting .303 on the season, probability-wise, he’s not going to enjoy this success in future years. Keeping him around, though, isn’t a bad idea.

Andujar will need some time to recover and catch up to his former self. At this point, it seems destined that he will remain a Yankees for the foreseeable future based on his potential and likeness in the club-house. LeMahieu, who’s been solid at third base when Urshela is off, is a far better second-baseman – his natural position. There’s no need to test the waters with inexperience when continuing to develop Andujar is an option on the table.

BREAKING: Miguel Andujar Out For Season For New York Yankees

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New York Yankees, Miguel Andujar

During game two of the New York Yankees doubleheader against the Baltimore Orioles, it was announced that Miguel Andujar will undergo season ending surgery on his right shoulder labrum. The surgery will be performed by Dr. Christopher Ahmad of New York-Presbyterian Hospital on Monday.

Andujar, bat .128 over 47 at-bats and drove in just one run in 2019. He only had three hits since he was previously activated from the IL on May 4th.

The Yankees will be able to recover from the blow. Gio Urshela and DJ LeMahieu have had spectacular seasons thus far and provide way better defense than Andujar. If they keep playing like they have been, it will be hard to notice that Andujar is out of the lineup.

Best wishes to the young fella, and we hope to see you on the field soon.

What Kendrys Morales Brings to the New York Yankees

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The New York Yankees have traded for Kendrys Morales.

After Tuesday’s game against the Baltimore Orioles was postponed, the New York Yankees announced that they traded for Kendrys Morales from the Athletics. In exchange, the Yankees will send a player to be named later or cash.

What we’re working with

Morales, 35, is a switch-hitting first baseman and DH, but primarily a DH. After a .203 start to the season over 109 at-bats, the Athletics had DFA’d him on Monday.

Morales is generally a power hitter that can accumulate a lot of home runs and doubles. Power hitters’ averages usually rise once they become a Yankee because of the short porches down the lines at Yankee Stadium.

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What the New York Yankees expect out of him

The Yankees are hoping that they can plug Morales into the six or seven spot in the order to drive in runs. They don’t need him to hit for a great average, just get run production via extra base hits and home runs.

With Andujar now on the IL again, that secures Giovanny Urshela’s spot at third for the meantime. Because of that, it will leave some time at the DH spot open for Morales. Hopefully, he shouldn’t be needed in the field at all. Luke Voit is in a little rut right now, but should soon recover from it. Plus, Morales isn’t really known to be a gold-glover.

Hopefully, the acquisition of Kendrys Morales should help boost the lineup and cover up some of the injuries.

 

BREAKING: Miguel Andujar Likely Back To The IL For The New York Yankees

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New York Yankees, Miguel Andujar

As reported by several sources close to the New York Yankees, Miguel Andujar will be heading to the IL once the team gets another player available.

Andujar tore his labrum in the opening homestand of the season.

The team claimed infielder Breyvic Valera off of waivers from the San Francisco Giants on Sunday, so it’s all beginning to make sense.

Valera, 27, is a switch hitting infielder that has played with the Orioles, Dodgers, and Cardinals. He has only appeared with the Giants AAA affiliate. He is batting .257 in 74 AAA at-bats.

THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY. MORE TO COME.

New York Yankees Play Poorly In Andujar’s Return, Lose 7-3 To Twins

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New York Yankees, Miguel Andujar

The New York Yankees had an overall poor game-the pitching staff struggled as well as having a limited offense, losing 7-3 to the Twins.

Nobody had it

No Yankee pitcher really seemed to have anything going on Saturday. With the extended use of the bullpen on Friday, Aaron Boone was forced to use the younger, low-leverage guys and it didn’t pan out after JA Happ struggled.

Happ gave up seven hits and four runs over 5 and 2/3 innings of work. He got three strikeouts, walking one and giving up two home runs. Both home runs came off of relatively high fastballs.

Happ got seven ground-balls and six fly-balls, getting eight swings and misses. He threw 81 pitches and 51 strikes.

After Happ, Joe Harvey, Steven Tarpley, and Jake Barrett each pitched, giving up one run each.

It was just one of those days where nobody had it.

Welcome back, Miggy

Miguel Andujar returned from the IL on Saturday, and picked up a hit while batting fourth. That was the only positive; in the field he had two errors-one fielding and one throwing.

But, it was DJ LeMahieu who led the Yankees with two hits, missing the last three games with a knee contusion.

Gary Sanchez hit his 11th home run of the season, now tied for first in the AL. That is extremely impressive since he was hurt for two weeks, and catchers generally rest once every five or six days.

The other Yankee to score was Brett Gardner on a wild pitch, and it seems that that is how a lot of the Yankee runs have been scoring of late.

Torres, Gardner, and Maybin each had base-hits. Defensively, Cameron Maybin robbed Jonathan Schoop of a three-run home run in the fourth. It’s easily the play of the year thus far for the Yankees.

Luke Voit didn’t get on base for the first time all year, ending his streak at 42 games. A very impressive streak for an up-and-coming player.

With weather in the area, Sunday’s rubber-match has been pushed back to a 4:05PM start, still on MLB Network, YES, and Fox Sports Go. Domingo German gets the ball for the Yankees against former Yankee Michael Pineda of the Twins. After everything Pineda went through, it will be nice to see him on a mound again in New York, and he should receive a nice hand.