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NEW YORK, NEW YORK – APRIL 15: Giancarlo Stanton #27 of the New York Yankees hits a two-run double … [+]
March has just begun, but the injuries are already piling up for the New York Yankees. With two veteran hitters and up to five pitchers potentially starting the season on the injured list, the club has a lot of roster holes to fill.
Yankees Lineup Injuries
Giancarlo Stanton is the biggest absence from the lineup. The veteran designated hitter reported to camp with tendonitis in both elbows and is not expected to start the year on time. The 35-year-old is MLB’s active career leader in home runs with 429, and he belted 27 of them in 114 games last season.
Designated hitter is a deceptively difficult lineup spot to plug. Obviously, there’s no defensive requirement, but if the player can’t be a productive hitter, they aren’t providing any value. The two main candidates are Dominic Smith and Ben Rice. Smith is a first baseman by trade with a career .246/.313/.403 batting line across eight seasons. He’s in camp with the Yankees as a non-roster invitee. Rice debuted last season as a first baseman, though he’s a natural catcher. While he tantalized with his power by swatting three home runs in one game, his .171/.264/.349 batting line was underwhelming.
Another trouble spot in the batting order is third base. 36-year-old DJ LeMahieu came to camp with plenty to prove after hitting only .204/.269/.259 in 67 games last season, but he picked up a calf strain on Saturday in his Spring Training debut.
If LeMahieu’s injury removes him from the competition, it’ll be up to Oswaldo Cabrera and Oswald Peraza to hold down the hot corner. Cabrera is entering his fourth year as a utility player, but his career 79 OPS+ indicates his bat has been 21% below the league average. Peraza is a natural shortstop with stronger prospect bona fides, having been named on top 100 prospect lists before the 2022 and 2023 seasons. He hasn’t hit much in limited MLB opportunities and dealt with injuries in the minors last year.
Yankees Rotation Injuries
On the mound, the starting rotation depth for the Yankees has thinned out due to a pair of injuries. Reigning Rookie of the Year Luis Gil was shut down due to shoulder tightness and is undergoing an MRI. JT Brubaker seeks to return to action for the first time since 2022, but he fractured three ribs avoiding a line drive.
The injuries actually solve a problem in a way. Marcus Stroman reported to camp later than other pitchers and stated his refusal to pitch out of the bullpen. However, he was no better than the sixth-best starter on the team following Gerrit Cole, Max Fried, Carlos Rodón, Clarke Schmidt, and Gil. He still has to prove his declining stuff and disastrous second half were aberrations if he wants to fend off Yoendrys Gómez and Will Warren.
Yankees Bullpen Injuries
Three relievers are also dealing with ailments. Jonathan Loáisiga has been out since last April following an elbow procedure, and they expect him to return sometime during the season. In February, Jake Cousins and Scott Effross picked up forearm and hamstring strains.
Gómez is a likely candidate to win a bullpen job due in part to the openings created. He has been a starter in the minors, but has worked only out of the bullpen in his six MLB appearances. Since he’s out of minor league options, the Yankees can’t send him down without exposing him to waivers.
Even if you include Gómez, the Yankees still have another bullpen spot to fill. The leading candidates are non-roster invitees Tyler Matzek and Rob Zastryzny. Both of them are left-handers, and adding one of them on the roster would give the team a second lefty reliever to pair with Tim Hill.
