I feel bad for Miguel Andujar right now. He went from Rookie of the Year runner-up in 2018, to missing most of 2019 and now in 2020 he's the odd man out and some new outlets don't know what to do with him. I have seen rumors that Andujar is trade bait or that Andujar will be waiting on the bench, a victim of roster depth. So which one is it?
According to NJ.com HERE, at least one scout says Andujar could be traded because "a change of scenery might be good." We've all heard that before. Andujar would definitely benefit from regular playing time. Plugging Andujar back in as a part-time player is not going to help him get back to the player we saw in 2018. He's also only 25 years old, so not playing him everyday is not going to help him develop, especially not defensively which is where the Yankees would like to see him improve the most. There are other teams out there that are not as deep as the Yankees are, so many other teams he could be playing on regularly.
Instead, I think the New York Post may be more accurate, read it HERE. I don't see a big trade market for Andujar right now. He's young, but coming back from a missed season and he's already been optioned back to the alternate training site twice this season. He's struggled to learn how to be an outfielder and he's just not hitting. It's hard to trade a guy with a 0.95 batting average for the season, there's no trade value there.
For the time being, the Yankees are more likely to hold onto him. The Yankees believe in his bat and they still have options with him, he's not arbitration eligible until 2021 and won't be a free agent until 2024. Looking at the trade market, the Yankees biggest need would be pitching, and Andujar isn't going to help the Yankees get what they need. The trade value just isn't there.
I just don't see Andujar going anywhere right now. I don't know how some blogs and news sources seem to think Andujar is a valuable trade trip....what do you really think the Yankees are going to get for him? I just don't see a big return.
First of all the Yankees need to call him up and let him be the DH every day.He needs to be in the lineup for his bat to work .He is an excellent bitter offensively with every day at bats no once a week or 3 games every two weeks.He is not a player you look to put on the bench as defensive replacement or a pinch hitter.His DNA is not made up as a role player but a key offensive player.
ReplyDeleteSo bench Gardner play Frazier in LF, Tauchman in CF and Judge in RF .Use Hicks to spare an OF and Gardner to be a defensive replacement or pinch runner.Woth Torres and DJ out the Yankees are going to need some offense to win games as we are hurting in the rotation and pen.