Mike Tauchman

The New York Yankees likely won’t have a true starting left fielder in 2021

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New York Yankees, Clint Frazier

With Spring Training inching closer, the New York Yankees have just one question mark remaining. Despite having one of the most productive off-seasons across the league, the team still doesn’t know who’ll play left field in 2021. The Yankees reportedly tried to snag Michael Brantley in free-agency to fill the position, but he returned to the Houston Astros on a two-year deal. Marcell Ozuna remains on the market, but it’s unlikely the Yankees have space to sign him.

That being said, the Yankees may not have a true starting left fielder in 2021. The team has Clint Frazier and Mike Tauchman on the roster in 2021 and will likely re-sign Brett Gardner to a short-term deal. New York has three options for left field, but neither of the three may play every day.

Frazier finally began to piece things together last season, batting .267 with a .905 OPS and a 149 OPS+. His defense made massive strides, even becoming a Gold Glove Award finalist.

Tauchman wasn’t bad in 2020 either, except that his power really lacked. His OBP was just shy of .350, but his slugging was just .305. He had six extra-base hits in 95 at-bats.

Gardner is the veteran player the Yankees need in the clubhouse, but his play has fallen-off significantly over the past couple of seasons. His defense remains reliable, but he bat just .223 with a .747 OPS in 2020.

It could come down to the handedness of the pitcher the Yankees are facing each night. Frazier and Tauchman are both solid against lefties, while Gardner struggles. Frazier’s OPS against lefties is .818, while Tauchman’s is .763 with a .371 OBP.

However, against righties, Frazier’s splits are the best of the three. With a .260 average and a .802 OPS, he bests both Gardner and Tauchman, who both have an OPS below .770.

Each of the three left fielders have their strengths and weaknesses, so it’ll be interesting to see who gets the most playing time. A lot of nights, it may be whoever is the hottest or whoever has the best stats against a given pitcher.

This is all assuming that the Yankees re-sign Brett Gardner, which seems inevitable at this point. However, if the team changes course and decides to let the 13-year veteran walk, the left field situation will be a completely different story.

New York Yankees News/Rumors: Will Wade, Ford, or Tauchman have an impact of the 2021 season?

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New York Yankees, Tyler Wade

Whether the New York Yankees sign DJ LeMahieu or not, life will go on, and there will be a 2021 baseball season. However, the outcome of those negotiations could have much to do with what other changes the Yankees can make to a team that needs pitching, both starting and in the bullpen. Even before spring training starts on February 21, it seems the Yankee’s starting lineup is pretty set. Leading off if they can sign him will be DJ LeMahieu, followed by Aaron Judge, Aaron Hicks, Giancarlo Stanton, Clint Frazier, Luke Voit, Gleyber Torres, Gary Sanchez, and Gio Urshela. Of course, if they can’t resign DJ, it could be substantially different. If the Yankees sign Brett Gardner for another year, he most likely will lead off.

At present, it is unclear how many men will be allowed on theNew York Yankees starting day roster, but it will probably be either 25 or 26. According to how many pitchers the Yankees have on the roster for the opening day, that will allow either two or three, bench players. Those players are likely to be Tyler Wade, Mike Ford, and Mike Tauchman. Let’s look at all three and see what impact they could have with the Yankees in 2021.

Mike Ford is the easiest to predict; he will back up Luke Voit at first base. Ford had a pretty lousy season in 2020, which was not uncommon, especially for players who don’t play daily. Ford hit .135 with 10 hits over 74 plate appearances. He also lacked his 2019 power-hitting with only 2 home runs. Still, he is an adequate first baseman. In his first year with the Yankees, he hit .259 with 12 long balls. If he can return to that in 2021, the Yankees will be happy with that performance.

From Mike Ford, the situation becomes far foggier for both Wade and Tauchman. For Tyler Wade, two scenarios could affect his playing time. If the Yankees sign LeMahieu, that would leave Tyler Wade and Thairo Estrada as backups for LeMahieu. If the Yankees don’t sign DJ, they could choose to move Gleyber Torres to second base, his natural position, that would leave Wade to back up whoever is the shortstop, and secondly to back up Torres at second along with Estrada. However, whatever happens, Wade is still the fastest and smartest base runner on the team.

Still foggier is Mike Tauchman’s place with the team.  Now that Giancarlo Stanton is pretty much the every day DH, that leaves Clint Frazier in left field, Aaron Hicks in center, and Aaron Judge in right field. With the Yankees not taking up Brett Gardner’s option, that leaves Mike as the natural outfield backup for all outfield positions. Frazier has a good injury history, but the Aaron’s don’t. For instance, Hicks has only played in over 100 games in a season twice in his eight-year career. Judge has done a little better playing in over 100 games three of his five years. Complicating Tauchman’s playing time is if they re-sign Gardner, a natural center and left fielder. Adding to the mix, the Yankees just traded for outfielder Greg Allen who can play in all the outfield positions. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that general manager Brian Cashman has been getting calls about Tauchman’s availability.

Like with everything else in this offseason, while the DJ LeMahieu negotiations are at a standstill, it’s hard to know anything about anything until the outcome of those negotiations is known. All three of these players had substantial drops in performance during 2020. Tauchman, for some reason or other, lost all his power. Besides a 35 point drop in his batting average, he hit no home runs in 92 at-bats after hitting 13 in 2019. No matter how much playing time these players get, the New York Yankees hope they will return to a season similar to 2019. If the Yankees have injuries like they had in the last two seasons, these three bench players will see playing time.

 

 

Yankees News/ Rumors: Mike Tauchman could be trade piece, Brett Gardner return?

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Mike Tauchman, New York Yankees

The New York Yankees have value across-the-board on their roster. Even their depth represents players that other clubs seek. However, the Bombers are still trying to supplement the loss of several starters from 2020, notably in the pitching rotation. The outfield also continues to be a minor question as Giancarlo Stanton is unable to play defense anymore, and the Yankees just recently committed to Clint Frazier, who locked up a starting spot this past campaign.

One player that continues to draw a ton of interest, though, is reserve option Mike Tauchman.

“I get a lot of calls on him to be honest,” Cashman said this week in a media Zoom call. “I feel like Tauchman gets as many on our club.”

Tauchman is a valuable player at 30 years old. His ability to play multiple outfield spots and represent a lefty hitter makes him a unique player. Mike is arbitration-eligible in 2022 and will be a free agent in 2025, so the Yankees have plenty of control over him. It is possible they could view him as a trade piece since Frazier has locked down the outfield spot, and other teams could utilize him as a potential starter.

“People see the value in the player being left-handed and playing left, center and right,” Cashman said.

This past season, Tauchman battled with Frazier for starting reps, but the former Colorado Rockie was unable to lock the position down. He finished the season with a .242 batting average, 14 RBIs, and a 23.4% strikeout rate. Mike historically has a tough strikeout percentage but walked a solid amount at 12.6% this season.

“People might forget (Tauchman and Frazier) were in competition with each other,” Cashman said. “One right-handed, one left handed. Tauchman fits us better in theory, the left-handed bat because we’re so right handed.”

Considering Tauchman actually fits the bill better for the Yankees, it is likely they retain him as a reserve option, especially with the injuries they’ve faced in the outfield recently. He provides immediate value and has the ability to play at a starting level.
Nonetheless, he struggled in 2020 offensively but was extremely efficient in 2019, posting a .277 average with 13 homers and 47 RBIs over 87 games.

“He struggled, he tried to fight through, and it got worse. Then the opportunities kind of dried up throughout the process. So he couldn’t get consistent at-bats to help get offline, and then the season was over. And now the back of his baseball card looks the way it does, but he’s certainly better player than that. I think we recognize that. I think the industry recognizes that.”

Will the New York Yankees bring back Brett Gardner?

Gardner is a player who represents the epitome of reliability. He’s always available to start at multiple outfield spots, and considering he has a lefty bat as well, the Yankees could always use their esteemed veteran.

However, Gardner could be looking for a pricey contract, and the Yankees only want to offer him a one-year, cost-efficient deal. Brett was set to earn an extension of one year for $10 million, but the Yankees rejected the club option.

Comments by general manager Brian Cashman and Grady’s agent seem to indicate that both sides want to come to a deal. Cashman stated on ESPN radio that he would love to partner back with Brett, but ultimately it comes down to price. Not only is he great in the clubhouse, but he is everything the Yankee strive to represent, and his agent had no mentions of retirement.

If they can agree on a one-year deal worth about $5 million, we should expect to see Gardner back in pinstripes for the 2021 season.

New York Yankee Player Profiles: Mike Tauchman, will he 2021 impactful?

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Mike Tauchman, New York Yankees

Mike Tauchman has been a slow blooming acquisition of the New York Yankees from the Colorado Rockies. He has spent most of his time in the minors and has shown his abilities to play almost anywhere on the field; late in the 2019 season, he became one of the Yankee’s hottest bats. Let’s find out a bit more about this versatile player. Tauchman, like a lot of other players, didn’t have the season he would have wished for in the 2020 shortened season.

Mike is 30 years old; he is a multi-talented athlete, having attended high school in Palatine, Illinois, where he played baseball and was the football team’s quarterback. In his senior year, he led a come from behind win against future NFL quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. He attended Bradley University, where he played baseball for the Bradley Braves. In his senior in 2013, he won the Missouri Conference Player of the Year Award.

His time with the Colorado Rockies

After college, he would be drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the 2013 summer draft. From 2013 through 2016, he would hit only one home run. But in 2017, he would hit 16 long balls. He would make his major league debut on June 27, 2017. He would play in 31 games in 2017, hitting .222. In 2018 he would be Pacific Coast League Player of the Week from May 14–20. In this week, he would make a big splash. He would hit .417 with 5 home runs with 8 runs scored, and a total of 27 bases. That wouldn’t last as he would only hit .097 for in 21 games in the major league.

Tauchman makes his Yankee Debut.

General Manager of the New York Yankees Brian Cashman saw something special in Mike and made a trade for him, making him a New York Yankee. After the trade in March, he would make the opening day roster, which was a surprise to many Yankee fans, as it had appeared that Tyler Wade had earned the spot. Many questioned Cashman’s wisdom. In the first half of the season, he would bounce back and forth from Scranton Wilkes/Barre and the stadium.

Before the All-Star break, he would hit .228 with four home runs in 42 games. In the summer dog days, Tauchman would catch fire. In his final 45 games, Tauchman powered nine home runs, 20 extra-base hits, 30 RBI, and slashed .315/.395/.582. Tauchman’s peak came in July when he had 13 RBI in 16 games, plus an OPS of 1.224. He seemed to find power, and became clutch out of thin air, and become an unexpectedly reliable contributor for the team. Unfortunately, Tauchman’s season came to a premature end after a Grade 2 calf strain that sidelined him in September. He likely wouldn’t have played much in the playoffs anyway, but it was a sour end to a breakout season for Tauchman.

Tauchman will most likely stay in the majors.

At 30, Mike should be coming into his prime. Last year the Yankees used him out of necessity due to the unprecedented number of injuries.  New York Yankees field manager Aaron Boone will want to keep Tauchman around as he also adds an important left-hand bat to the Yankee’s overly heavy lineup of right-handed batters, especially if they do not resign Brett Gardner. With his excellent outfield defense, Mike is ready to contribute.

Tauchman is presently on the 40 man roster, but if it is reduced to 26 players, it is still likely that Tauchman will remain in the majors, probably as a bench player. With Giancarlo Stanton as the designated hitter and Clint Frazier in left, Aaron Hicks in center, and Aaron Judge in right field, Tauchman will likely be back up for all of the outfielders over Tyler Wade. Both are lefty hitters in the lineup, but Tauchman is the better hitter. If the often injured Aaron Judge is out, Frazier will move to right field, and Tauchman would become the everyday left-fielder. The only question remaining for Tauchman is if the New York Yankees re-sign Brett Gardner, who is also an outfielder. If they bring Gardner back, Tauchman may see less playing time or even start the season in Scranton Wilkes/Barre.

New York Yankees: 2021 will be a make-or-break year for Mike Tauchman

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Mike Tauchman, New York Yankees

In a year in which the New York Yankees didn’t have Aaron Judge or Giancarlo Stanton for a sizable portion of the regular season, Mike Tauchman, who had broken out in 2019 with a .277/.361/.504 line and a 128 wRC+, failed to secure even semi-regular playing time because of his underwhelming performance.

He didn’t take advantage of Brett Gardner’s prolonged slump to start the season, either. While Clint Frazier broke out in a big way and did capitalize on the opportunity he was presented, Tauchman slumped to a paltry .242/.342/.305 line with a .286 wOBA and a 79 wRC+.

When he played, he got on base at a similar clip to 2019 (in fact, he upped his BB% from 11.5 to 12.6 percent) and had a decent .342 OBP despite his ugly average. But he was a complete liability in the power department, with no home runs and an inability to even hit a fastball. His role with the New York Yankees in 2021 and beyond is not clear at this point.

Even Tauchman’s defense, which made him an elite left fielder and a passable center fielder in 2019, declined in 2020. He had a -3.4 defensive rating (adjusted by position) in Fangraphs and his Outs Above Average performance declined from the 95th percentile to the 69th percentile, per Baseball Savant.

The Yankees have some hope

Yes, Tauchman remains a very fast player, but if he’s not able to produce offensively, the Yankees need him to, at the very least, regain some of the defensive prowess that made him excel last year.

He has things working in his favor. In 2019, he hit 13 homers in less than 300 plate appearances. He has some power, and some mechanical adjustments and some work in the offseason could pay off.

Additionally, he has several years of cheap team control remaining, and with Gardner’s role uncertain for next year and Judge and Stanton being injury risks, he could have some value for the Yankees. They should retain him, but 2021 will be a make-or-break year for Mike Tauchman.

New York Yankees Recap: Blue Jays take down the Yankees for second loss in a row

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Mike Tauchman, New York Yankees

The New York Yankees, after securing a berth in the playoffs, sent Micheal King to the mound last night to face the Toronto Blue Jays, in the first game of a four-game series in Buffalo. King pitched a scoreless first inning, but the game quickly went off the rails when King gave up five earned runs in less than three innings. The usually dependable Jonathan Loaisiga came in to replace King, and things just got worse; he gave up three earned runs in only one inning.

The Yankee’s attempt to hold back the Blue Jays was a complete failure. Both Chad Green and Nick Nelson also gave up a run in the game, with only Adam Ottavino pitching a clean inning. Meanwhile, the Blue Jays Matt Shoemaker and T.J. Zeuch combined held the Yankees to just 2 earned runs over 6.1 innings. Late in the game, as the Yankees attempted a rally, Wilmer Font gave up three runs to the Yankees at the top of the ninth inning.  For the Yankees, it was too little, too late, as the Jays bested them 11-5. T.J. Zeuch got the win and Michael King took the loss. The Yankees had two errors in the game.

The New York Yankees took the early lead in the game when at the top of the second inning Gio Urshela drove in Gleyber Torres; it would be the only time the Yankees would lead in the game. ‘The machine,” DJ LeMahieu hit the ball in all four of his at-bats, resulting in only two unproductive hits. Luke Voit, Gleyber Torres, Gary Sanchez, and Brett Gardner all remained hitless in the game.

Pretty much all of the Blue Jays contributed to the win, either at bat or with great defense in the field. Two of the Jay’s standouts in the game were Vlad Guerrero Jr., who went 3-3 with 3 RBI’s and Alejandro Kirk.  Kirk had the best night of his career as he went 4 for 4, with his first major league home run.

From the fourth inning to the seventh the Blue Jays mowed down 10 straight Yankees. What is disturbing in this game is that the Yankees had their A lineup in the game, including Aaron Judge and Giancarlo, who combined for just two unproductive hits in seven at-bats.  The offensive highlight of the game for the Yankees was with three Yankees on base in the top of the ninth inning, Mike Tauchman pinch-hitting, hit a long single, clearing the bases for the Yankees, for three RBIs. Gio Urshela drove in the first two Yankee runs.

Tomorrow night the Yankees will again face the Toronto Blue Jays at Sahlen Park in Buffalo, with Yankee ace Gerrit Cole on the mound.

 

Whether it’s now or when Judge returns, the Yankees need to bench Brett Gardner

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New York Yankees, Brett Gardner

The New York Yankees are a loyal organization sometimes to a fault. That fault is playing out before our eyes in watching Brett Gardner play this year. Gardner has been like a team captain for the Yankees over the last 13 years.

Last year, Gardner had one of his best seasons in pinstripes. Gardner saw a power surge that included 28 home runs last year. Because of his consistent play last year, the Yankees rewarded Gardner with a one year $12.5 million deal with a 2021 Team Option.

This year, Brett Gardner has been absolutely atrocious. In 28 games this year, Gardner is hitting .169 with a .302 OBP and just 3 home runs. He’s also striking out at nearly 27% which is the highest of his career. The defense is not enough to warrant a starting spot for Gardner any longer.

The Yankees need a change

The only reason you could argue giving Gardner a starting spot now is the injury to Aaron Judge. The Yankees superstar has been out for a few weeks struggling with a calf issue. Clint Frazier has been sensational in his replacement of Judge.

Frazier has been touted for years by the Yankees due to what he could do at the plate. However, he’s showing this year that he can do it in the field as well. Frazier’s defensive progression is remarkable. He looks fully capable of being the starting left fielder moving forward.

When Judge returns and can play defense, the Yankees should move Frazier over to left permanently. It’s time to move on from Brett Gardner. Honestly, I think the Yankees should make the switch now.

Mike Tauchman hasn’t been as good this year as he was last year, but he’s still been better than Brett Gardner. With virtually the same sample size, Tauchman is hitting .264 with an OBP of .354. He’s going to give you the same defensive skill in left as Gardner will.

I love Gardner for the way he plays the game and what he’s meant to the Yankees, but playing him consistently does nothing but hurt this team. I know the Yankees have been hit with injuries, but there are three outfielders who are all head and shoulders better than Gardner right now that are healthy.

The Yankees need to make the move permanently to Frazier in right, Hicks in center, and Tauchman in left. Once Judge comes back, Tauchman can shift to being the fourth outfielder. This year has proved to me that Brett Gardner’s tenure with the Yankees needs to come to an end after the 2020 season.

 

New York Yankees: Outfield duo stepping up in midst of team-wide injury plague

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New York Yankees, Clint Frazier

It’s not even really a surprise anymore, but the New York Yankees are dealing with an immense amount of injuries. The team’s two best outfielders, Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, are both dealing with injuries. Stanton has been on the IL since August 9th with a hamstring strain. Judge went on the IL on August 14th with a calf strain, but was reactivated before the doubleheader against Atlanta. In that doubleheader, Judge reaggravated his calf and may land on the IL again.

However, the Yankees have been lucky as an outfield duo has really stepped it up this year with all the injuries. Clint Frazier and Mike Tauchman have both hit the cover off the ball, and are proving they deserve to be a part of the picture in the future.

Frazier has played just nine games, but is 9-for-30 in that span. He’s hit two home runs and driven in eight runs while drawing three walks. His OPS is .964 and has an OPS+ of 160. His defense has shown to have made progress, as he has two defensive runs saved already.

Tauchman, however, has already played in 21 games and has 54 at-bats. He’s batting .315 with five doubles and seven runs batted in. He’s yet to go yard, the reason for a .791 OPS, but his on base percentage is almost .400. Tauchman is consistently getting on base, and that’s set up some of the other power hitters.

Although the Yankees have missed Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge to injuries, the team has had some very solid bats to fill their places. It’s hard to fill the shoes of all-stars, but Tauchman and Frazier have done the best they can to fill those shoes.

New York Yankees: Boone continues to make the same lineup mistake, DJ LeMahieu injury update

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Mike Tauchman, New York Yankees

The New York Yankees are facing off against the Tampa Bay Rays in the second game of a three-game series on Wednesday evening. On Tuesday, they fell 6-3, with Masahiro Tanaka having a poor outing. The offense simply wasn’t able to get going either, and with three of their best players absent, things won’t get better for at least another week.

Nonetheless, the Yankees have plenty of reserve options to utilize in the meantime.

Manager Aaron Boone deployed an interesting lineup on Wednesday, one day after he gave Luke Voit the leadoff spot. Voit drove in three RBIs and hit a home run. On Wednesday, he moved Aaron Hicks to the top of the order, placing Mike Ford at clean up as the DH, and Brett Gardner in left field. Interestingly, Thairo Estrada received the start at second base over Tyler Wade.

Where is Boone making a mistake?

The mistake revolves around Gardner, who continues to gain reps over Mike Tauchman despite the obvious difference in production. So far this season, Gardner is hitting .167 with three homers and six RBIs over 48 at-bats. Tauchman is hitting .333 with seven RBIs and five walks over 45 at-bats.

Tauchman is also a fantastic defensive player, and while he isn’t the slugger that Brett somehow has managed to become, his ability to get on base and high contact rate makes him more valuable at this point in time. Tauchman has been a supplemental piece the past few games, receiving minimal starts. I don’t know what it will take for Boone to finally realize that Tauchman is the better player and deserves more playing time over Gardner.

Injury update on New York Yankees in filter DJ LeMahieu:

LeMahieu overextended his thumb several days ago against the Boston Red Sox.

Ultimately, the second baseman has been “sore” and is still in the 2-3 week return timeline. He suffered a similar injury back in 2018 with the Colorado Rockies and is once again dealing with a thumb issue. Giving him as much time as needed is essential, but luckily the Yankees are close to gaining slugger Aaron Judge back. Judge featured in batting practice yesterday but was placed on the 10-day IL as a precaution.

New York Yankees News: The Yankee bench leads to the Yankee Success

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Mike Tauchman, New York Yankees

The New York Yankees have a terrific lineup filled with timely and powerful hitters.  To start the season the big bats in the lineup. Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge led the Yankees to an 8-1 lead on the season.  Aaron Judge hit nine homers on pace to beat his 2017 record.  Stanton was much more disciplined at the plate and had two homers and a .300 batting average.

Then disaster reminiscent of the 2019 injury season happened.  In 2019, 30 Yankees players went on the IL in 39 separate instances.  Not to blow it out of proportion, when Stanton and Judge both went on the IL within a week of each other, it seemed like it was beginning to be Deja Vu all over again. Then on Saturday DJ LeMahieu injured his thumb and was added to the 10 day IL. All of these injuries just 25 days into the season.

After that quick start, the New York Yankees hit a hard patch going 2-5.  But that would not last as the “next man up” mentality kicked in, and the bench started to carry the team.  This is exactly what happened last year when the Yankees won 103 games.  Mike Tauchman, Mike Ford, and Clint Frazier have been a blessing for the Yankees.  In games that they have played, during the last seven games, the Yankees have gone 6-2, mostly due to them stepping up their game to allow the Yankees to win.

Mike Tauchman: Although the “T-Man” is not a home run hitter, his ability to get on base nearly matches that of DJ LeMahieu, and has led to much of the small ball Yankee success. Tauchman in 42 at-bats has a batting average of .357, 15 hits with 9 runs driven in, and while fast on the bases he has 4 stolen bases.  Add to that a very respectable .889 OPS.

Mike Ford:  Ford has a lesser record.  The thing with Ford, is that he always seems to rise to the occasion when it’s really important. His batting average is only .194 with 7 hits.  But two of those hits were home runs contributing to Yankees wins.  Looking at the record reveals that although his batting average is way below Tauchman’s, he has more RBI’s, indicating timely contributions.

Clint Frazier:  Clint wasn’t brought up from Scranton until Judge was put on the IL. Since then, he has been on a tear.  In 15 at-bats, he has two homers and a batting average of .553, 8 RBI’s, and an insane 1.696 OPS. Also, the masked “Red Thunder” has shown an improved maturity and defense in the outfield. In Saturday’s game he made an amazing running diving catch.

In that “next man up” mold, in the absence of Aroldis Chapman, who was out after testing positive for the coronavirus, Zack Britton stepped up to fill the void.  And fill the void he did, saving all 8 of his chances with a tiny ERA of 1.09.  I also, should not go without mentioning the contributions of reliever Chad Green.  Green has been called into 9 games, pitching 12.2 innings. He has a 2-0 record, and a minuscule .071 ERA with only 1 earned run.

Hopefully, in the coming week, things will turn around in favor of the Yankees, injury-wise.  Closer Aroldis is scheduled to return today, moving Zack Britton, and strengthening the bullpen by going back to his setup job.  Later this week hopefully slugger Aaron Judge will be back in the lineup along with DJ LeMahieu follwing him.  The Yankees won’t be as lucky with Stanton, who is expected to be out another few weeks.

The New York Yankees are proving once again that their depth of talented players greatly contributes to their success.

“We feel that we have a group of guys — and a depth of guys — that the expectations don’t change,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said.