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NEW YORK – Aaron Boone and managing director Brian Cashman face the Yankees' four major pre-fight concerns with the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium on Friday night.
What happens to the infield when Didi Gregorius results?
It looks like Didi Gregorius (Tommy John's operation) could take a week or less back from the casualty list. He is currently at Triple-A Scranton / Wilkes-Barre. When he returns, he will obviously take the place of the daily stop-court, even if at the beginning, he will have a few extra days off to get used to the daily game.
We know that means that Gleyber Torres moves every day to the second base. Gio Urshela was so good at third base. He will remain as a starter. But what about the first base?
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DJ LeMahieu, despite his limited experience there, would be a defensive upgrade to Luke Voit, who could slip into a semi-regular designated hitter role. And LeMahieu could still have time at second and third base while Boone seeks to give Torres and Urshela time off.
Voit said that he enjoyed DH-ing, after doing a lot in minor leagues. While some players have the impression that their work moves them away from the pace they were used to playing in the field every day – we all think of Carlos Beltran and Giancarlo Stanton – that should not be a problem for Voit.
Who left when Giancarlo Stanton results?
On Thursday, Boone said Stanton (left calf strain) had been hit in the cage, which means he was close to starting a new minor league reeducation mission. If it's okay – the last one was not, then it's at least a medium-sized case if – Stanton could come back … maybe a few weeks?
This will create a dead end. Stanton's return would mean there would be six players for five places. It's four spots in the field and a spot in DH. Cashman will have to decide who should leave Stanton (remain), Aaron Hicks (stay), Brett Gardner (stay), Cameron Maybin (in trouble), Clint Frazier (in trouble) and Kendrys Morales (in trouble).
Perhaps the simplest thing would be to demote Clint Frazier, because that would allow him to play Triple A and the Yankees every day to keep all the corpses. But letting go of Morales also seems to be a strong possibility. Morales did not hit (.139 BA, 45 AP) since the Yankees added it and with Voit and LeMahieu, the Yankees do not need him on first base. Maybin produced offensively and he seems at least to be a strong defender.
And how will the return of Stanton affect Brett Gardner?
It depends on who stays and who goes. If the Yankees guard Frazier and cut ties with Maybin or Morales, they could let him share his time with Gardner. Maybe you play Stanton in the left field against left-handers, with Frazier in the right field. And against the right-handed, Gardner could take a few starts in the left with Stanton, Maybin or Frazier in the right field. That said, Gardner had a much better May (0.269 / 0.314 / 0.500) than April (0.22 / 0.325 / 0.423) and could still line up for regular service.
How long will Aaron Judge start to hit the cage?
It is important. It would be the closest thing for him to enter the minor league reeducation games.
On Thursday, the judge played balls against the wall in the right field at Yankee Stadium and pitched. The judge was on the IL with a left oblique strain. He says that he feels no pain and that, if you look at him on Thursday, he looks strong, turning and turning around. He did not look hurt.
Of course, the Yankees will take it very slowly with him, but they will also count on him to tell them when he is ready. This could be sooner than it appeared a few weeks ago.
Brendan Kuty can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @BrendanKutyNJ. Find NJ.com Yankees on Facebook.
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