Start spreading the news. The “Bronx Bombers” are coming.
If it wasn’t enough that Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge seem to be working their way back into the fold shortly, there was more news on Saturday night, as Brian Cashman pulled the latest rabbit from his hat.
The Yankees acquired right-handed slugger, Edwin Encarnacion, from the Seattle Mariners on Saturday night, for RHP Juan Then and cash considerations. Encarnacion, who currently leads the American League with 21 long balls, will be joining a lineup that has been lead by Gary Sanchez (20 HRs), Luke Voit (16 HRs) and will soon be enhanced by the likes of Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton in the coming week.
As YES Network Broadcaster and ESPN’s Michael Kay would say, “Let’s do it, here in the Bronx!”
With the edition of the American League’s current leader in home runs, Brian Cashman has systematically put together one of the most dangerous lineups in recent memory, as Aaron Boone will now have a plethora of juggernaut bats to unleash over the summer.
The Return Of Sir Didi
Not only will Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton be re-joining the club during their homestead this week alongside the edition of Encarnacion, but the Yankees were recently picked up by the return of their shortstop, Didi Gregorius, who has not skipped a beat at the plate, slashing a .385/.407/.538 since returning last weekend in Cleveland.
Some could argue that Didi Gregorius was the best overall hitter in the Yankees offense during the 2017 campaign and followed that season up with a red-hot April 2018, launching 10 homers on route to being named AL Player of the Month. Gregorius has consistently hit third or fourth in the bombers’ order over the past few seasons, however, with the emergence of three of baseball’s biggest hitters, Didi may be pegged down a few spots in the order.
The offense isn’t the only thing to be excited about, however, as Gregorius has shown his versatility and quickness in the hole at short since taking over for the captain, Derek Jeter, back in 2015. The Yankees everyday infield will now consist of Didi Gregorius, Gleyber Torres, Luke Voit, and DJ LeMahieu, barring any injuries.
Release The Kraken
In 2018, Gary Sanchez had the worst campaign of his young Major League career, only hitting .186 on the season, dealing with a groin injury that landed him on the disabled list not once, but twice. Critics had Sanchez all but written out in 2018, with some even suggesting that Brian Cashman should trade the young catcher.
In 2019, Gary Sanchez has quieted the critics and has released the Kraken, launching 20 long balls through the first two and a half months, tying him for second in the American League lead for home runs, right behind his newest teammate.
Currently, on pace for 45+ homers, Sanchez has been New York’s most consistent hitter since Opening Day, being a key factor in the Yanks’ success through the first half of the season, after nearly writing himself off with last season’s performance, both at the plate offensively, and behind it defensively.
Placing the “Sanchino” right in the middle of Aaron Boone’s batting order will help pave the way to a lot of success for the likes of Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, as pitchers will less likely be pitching around them to get to the Kraken. With the help of Edwin Encarnacion and Luke Voit, pitchers are also less likely to pitch around Gary Sanchez, which will result in a lot more long balls for the Kraken.
King Louis
Some could argue that Gary Sanchez has been the Yankees most consistent hitter in 2019, while others may argue that it is Luke Voit, who earlier in the season, reached base safely in 42 straight games. Voit, who was picked up by Brian Cashman in August of 2018 in a trade that sent Chasen Shreve and Giovanny Gallegos to the St. Louis Cardinals, was looked at as a rental back-up to the longtime highly-touted first baseman, Greg Bird.
After an outstanding final two months of the 2018 season, that consisted of 14 home runs and a .333 batting average, the St. Louis native earned himself the role of everyday first baseman in the Bronx. Many wondered going into spring training if Voit could continue the success he had in 2018, given that pitchers only saw him for a short amount of time over the course of the season.
Luke has answered those questions with his bat during the course of the first two months of 2019, slugging 16 long balls, alongside a .263/.380/.530 that has earned him the first base position over an injury-riddled Greg Bird. Voit has proved to be a big bat in this Yankees order, and will only add more value when given more protection with the likes of Judge, Stanton, and Encarnacion joining the fray.
From being a rental back-up first baseman for the final stretch of last year’s regular season to being the everyday powerhouse first baseman in 2019, Luke Voit isn’t going anywhere, anytime soon.
Bottom Of The Order
From Gary Sanchez, to Luke Voit, to DJ LeMahieu.
The signing that was ridiculed in the offseason, due to the overwhelming amount of support in Yankee fans wanted to see Manny Machado dawn the pinstripes, is now arguably Brian Cashman’s prized offseason signing, as LeMahieu has added a spark to this year’s offense like no other, putting together a batting line of .310/.356/.452 after watching this year’s Opening Day from the bench.
LeMahieu has also shined defensively for Aaron Boone, making everything look easy from both sides of the diamond, as the former Colorado Rockie has taken on third base, second base and first base in his. short time in New York.
The Yanks will also have the likes of Aaron Hicks at the bottom of their batting order, who recently signed a 7-year/$70 million dollar extension with the club back in spring training. Hicks has gotten off to a rough start in 2019, hitting only .211 in a limited amount of games, since coming off the IL due to back pain back in May.
Hicks has been greatly touted in the Yankees organization for being an excellent defender in center, while also holding up his end at the dish, slugging 27 homers in his 2018 campaign, which is currently his most in any season. If Aaron Hicks can find his stride again in 2019, the American League East is going to have a very tough navigating their way through the Bronx Bombers lineup.
Not to mention, the potential Yankees No. 9 hitter in their restructured batter order currently has the third most home runs on the team with 15, and that’s Gleyber Torres.
The young phenom has absolutely smashed Baltimore Oriole pitching so far this season, connecting for 10 homers against Baltimore already in 2019. Behind his slick glove at second and his hot bat at the dish, the Yankees have themselves a No. 9 hitter that could arguably hit No. 2 or 3 on another major league club.
The Calvary Is Coming
The calvary is indeed on it’s way to the Bronx this week, as the Yankees have already announced the return of Giancarlo Stanton, who will be making his return to the lineup on Tuesday night against the Tampa Bay Rays. Stanton, along with Aaron Judge, rehabbed this past weekend in Durham, North Carolina, as the Scranton Wilkes-Barre Railriders got to witness the longest homer ever hit at a Durham Bulls game.
As Stanton embarks on his journey back to New York on Tuesday, it is also believed that Aaron Judge will be making his return during the homestand as well, although it has yet to be determined when. Stanton has been out since April 3. with a left biceps strain and shoulder trouble, while Judge has been shelved with an oblique injury since late April.
With three behemoth bats (Judge, Stanton, Encarnacion) set to make their way into the Yankees lineup, one can only wonder how the batting order will shape up. A few analysts have taken their guesses on Twitter on what the lineup could potentially look like:
Conclusion
Although the Yankees offense has the potential to be nearly unstoppable over the next few months, they still lack consistent starting pitching, as the rotation has not quite panned out the way Brian Cashman had hoped to begin the season.
Luis Severino has been sidelined with a shoulder injury since spring training, while JA Happ has not lived up to his dominance last season in the Bronx. James Paxton has been really good at times, and really bad at times, as CC Sabathia has also had his issues staying on the field, despite grabbing some personal accomplishments on the mound along the way. Masahiro Tanaka looked dominant early on, however, has struggled to keep the ball in the ballpark, allowing more home runs than any other starter in the rotation.
With 2019 looking like the year that the Yankees might take the division, with the Rays holding on for dear life, and the defending world champion Boston Red Sox struggling to stay above .500, the Bronx Bombers are one big move away from completing a World Series contender, as they will need atlas one big pitching addition in order to compete with the likes of Houston, who currently carries a two-headed monster in Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole, not to mention Wade Miley’s early season success.
With three huge bats being added to the lineup, the Yankees will now have room to make a trade with pieces that will no longer fit, in the form of Clint Frazier, who although has had much success at the plate, has struggled tremendously defensively, as the right-handed bat was sent down to AAA following the transaction of Encarnacion on Sunday.
Will the Yanks’ make a big pitching splash? Will it happen soon or at the deadline? Only time will tell, but one thing is for sure, and that is things are heating up in the Bronx!
