NEW YORK — Really, nobody is safe.
With the Yankees’ playoff hopes seemingly on life support already — hey, they were nine games out of the American League East as of Friday night — the team might be in need of a total overhaul.
General manager Brian Cashman seems unlikely to be a casualty, considering the amount of time he’s run baseball operations, his general success over that term, and his connection to the Steinbrenner family.
But there are at least six Yankees who are on the hot seat:
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Aaron Boone, manager
Yankees fans had been less than happy with Boone’s leadership as the team has continued to spiral, but the hate reached a new level when chants of “Fire Boone!” were heard throughout the stadium late in Wednesday’s terrible loss to the Angels. Boone was the right manager to guide two 100-win teams through the first two years of his tenure in the Bronx. He was a personality manager. He was a communicator. He was a cool cat. But the Yankees have needed a spark. Fair or not, fans think it should come from Boone, whose more kumbaya than the next coming of Billy Martin. His contract is up at season’s end. Barring a drastic turnaround and a deep playoff run, it’s difficult to imagine Boone returning.
Aaron Judge, RF
Judge hasn’t done anything wrong in 2021. He’s been one of the league’s most feared bats, hitting .285 with 18 homers and a .904 OPS in 274 at-bats. Judge will be the Yankees’ only All-Star starter. He’s serving as a de facto captain, calling a players-only meeting before Tuesday’s game so that everyone can air out their grievances. Here’s the problem, though: Judge will be a free agent after the 2022 season. Are the Yankees considering signing him to a long-term deal? They already have Giancarlo Stanton and Gerrit Cole each locked up for huge money on long deals. Plus Judge, 29, played in just 242 of 384 (63%) of possible games from 2018-2020 due to a litany of injuries. Could the Yankees trade Judge the Red Sox treated Mookie Betts?
Gary Sanchez, C
Sanchez is in the midst of a renaissance. Written off for good after a .147 average in 2020, Sanchez has a legit All-Star case, posting the fourth-best WAR (1.6) and third-best OPS (.843) among AL catchers. The question, however, becomes: Can he keep it going? Sanchez has been prone to streaks. He started 2021 terribly, hitting .174 through his first 33 games. Sanchez, 28, will be entering his final year of team control next season and will be due a raise over the $6.3 million he’s making in 2021. His journey to win back fans (and the trust of the Yankees) isn’t over yet.
Clint Frazier, OF
Frazier’s falloff has been astonishing.A former top prospect knocking on the door of a full-time big league job for years, Frazier seemingly broke out in 2020, hitting .267 with eight homers and 26 RBI in 39 games and was even nominated for a Gold Glove in right field. Now? Woof. In 66 games, he’s hitting .186, his defense has regressed, and he just hit the injured list with vertigo. He’s not even a trade chip at this point.
Miguel Andujar, UTL
Andujar hasn’t really answered any of the questions he needed to answer going into this season. Does he have a defensive position? Can he hit in a part-time role? Sure, he seems to have wrestled the starting left field job away from Frazier for now, but he’s hitting just just .257 with a .681 OPS through 42 games. Like Frazier, Andujar no longer holds much value in a trade, and he doesn’t seem to have much of a future here if he doesn’t answer some of these questions.
Aroldis Chapman, LHP
Chapman’s spot seems solidified. He had a monster start to the season, not allowing a run over his first 18 appearances. Since then? He’s been terrible since, with a 10.13 ERA over his last 13 outings. Chapman will likely get it figured out — maybe it’s a sticky substance issue, maybe it’s just general inconsistency. The greater question is, could the Yankees look at him as a potential trade chip come the deadline? Due the remaining $16 million on his deal this season and $16 million next year, might the Yankees want to move him for luxury tax space to add a lefty bat they crave? A starting pitcher? Would he even waive his no-trade clause?
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Brendan Kuty may be reached at bkuty@njadvancemedia.com. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here.
