Maybe the Yankees don't have to choose between either of them. You can make good reasons to keep both of them. They both have good value for the Yankees and cutting one of them would be hard. It might be a little easier to cut someone else instead....what about Tyler Wade?
Honestly, he's in consideration for that last bench spot. We already know Brett Gardner isn't going anywhere and Kyle Higashioka is a lock for the back-up catcher spot. So then it comes down to Tauchman, Bruce and....Wade. Nothing against Wade but, he has options remaining. The Yankees can send him down. The infield becomes a little dicey, they won't have an emergency infielder but the Yankees can get creative.
Would losing Wade as a backup infielder hurt a little on paper? Sure, one less body for them to use, especially when they are riddled with injuries. It would be challenging, but another important part of this would be to have the RIGHT bodies on the roster. Bruce has proven that he deserves a spot on this team AND he has an opt-out clause that he can exercise today. Tauchman is versatile and likely a guaranteed need considering how often the Yankees are down an outfielder. Oh and the fact that he has no minor league options left is another risk. If the Yankees let him go....another team will be ready to claim him.
Cutting Wade isn't a great solution by any means....but I don't think cutting Tauchman or Bruce makes more sense either. I think the Yankees need both Tauchman and Bruce, and we will find out if the Yankees think so too....any moment now.
--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @nyprincessj
Nice article as always Jeana. I don't see the Yankees cutting Tauchman & trading him isn't the best option at this juncture. The Yankees need to find out if he's back to being 2019 Tauchman or not.
ReplyDeleteBy optioning Garcia and Wade to start the season the Yankees could buy a little time to figure out what they want to do.
Bruce hasn't looked great at the plate though but based on his track record and the fact that he's healthy it might make sense to make a play to try to retain him for the time being.
I understand why the Yankees brought back Gardner but if Tauchman is back to being that guy from 2019 who was able to translate his outstanding play in the minors to the major leagues then that really gives the Yankees something to think about.
Bruce would need to slug to justify his roster spot. He's beginning to feel like a player who represents Cashman bringing in a left hander for the sake of balance but I'm not sure he necessarily represents any kind of upgrade.
I have a feeling the decision will involve things we are not going to pick up on right away. Is Voit 100%?
If the Yankees feel he needs some regular rest then Bruce makes some sense but DJ is a bit of a better solution because the Yankees could carry Wade & simultaneously get Torres some rest.
Then again, Wade has to hit or at least get on base like he used to in the minor leagues, to justify his roster spot. He's walking the line between hitting barely enough and not hitting enough.
In a perfect world you'd like to kind of platoon Judge & Stanton between RF & 1B because you'd like both of their bats in the lineup regularly plus obviously it helps two injury-prone players play less in the field overall.
I definitely think having a speedy good fielding left-handed bat to kind of platoon a little bit with Frazier is a good idea and the Yankees could use Tauchman for that providing he's 2019 Tauchman.
Gardy meanwhile becomes a late game defensive replacement as the fourth outfielder and so he would go in and probably play more right field than he ever has.
Maybe that's the way to manage the Yankee outfield going forward?
Regarding the infield, the Yankees are simply too thin at shortstop and as we think about 162 game schedule, Wade would absolutely be needed as a utility guy.
It all adds up to cutting Bruce which is a tough cut because it's nice to have a powerful bat from the left side but I think the Yankees have more synergy with Wade.
Wade has been frustrating because in the minor leagues he could at least get on base and hit for average. He just has not done either of those things at the major league level.
I totally get your point though and my opinion has trended in the exact direction You are thinking, so I certainly could see a scenario where the Yankees keep Bruce to see what he can give them and start out with Wade at the alternate site.
If Bruce starts pounding home runs and giving Boone some lineup balance when needed then he could be an ideal bench player. Today will be a mildly interesting day to see what the Yankees will do with this little conundrum. I have no complaints either way that it shakes out because it really does look like there are a couple of advantages options and it sort of depends on what the Yankees want to do.
Me personally? I'd option Garcia, absolutely keep Tauchman & option Wade to start the season, thereby allowing me to keep Bruce and see what he can do.
I'd also be keeping an eye on Tauchman & sometime in May I look to make a decision on which player sticks for the remainder of the season.
I challenge Wade to work on his on base skills and providing he started doing that, he would definitely be called up about the time I figured things out.
There's no question in a big postseason game it'll be pretty cool to have Jay Bruce in the lineup against power right handed pitchers. That could be huge.
One typo in my post was that in a perfect world you'd like to platoon Stanton and Judge between RF and DH!!! (Not 1B)
ReplyDeleteWell Bruce has been lost at the plate as has his buddy Sanchez.
ReplyDeleteTo be honest Higgy has not impressed me at all with the bat.
I say let Bruce walk, he has to play everyday to be any asset and if everyone is healthy not going to happen.
None of our hitters are hitting real well but Bruce and Sanchez are swinging at everything.
Now let's talk rotation, Yankees need to carry 6 starters, I might even suggest that you still keep Cole on 5 days even with 6 man rotation. Means someone has to be creative.
No Britton and No Wilson we should have a six man rotation with one doubling as long man whoever's day it is to throw on the side or be an opener.
Yankees should be the best team in baseball but always seem to mess it up.
Well Bruce has been lost at the plate as has his buddy Sanchez.
ReplyDeleteTo be honest Higgy has not impressed me at all with the bat.
I say let Bruce walk, he has to play everyday to be any asset and if everyone is healthy not going to happen.
None of our hitters are hitting real well but Bruce and Sanchez are swinging at everything.
Now let's talk rotation, Yankees need to carry 6 starters, I might even suggest that you still keep Cole on 5 days even with 6 man rotation. Means someone has to be creative.
No Britton and No Wilson we should have a six man rotation with one doubling as long man whoever's day it is to throw on the side or be an opener.
Yankees should be the best team in baseball but always seem to mess it up.