After a catastrophic ninth inning, the New York Yankees completely collapsed for the second straight game. Reliever Clarke Schmidt was called upon to escape the first-and-third jam and ultimately induced the winning run. Oscar Gonzalez provided the winning knock for the second time this postseason.
The game itself was running smoothly for the Yanks, thanks to a two-run job by MVP candidate Aaron Judge. It was his first knock of the postseason, which knotted the game at two. Rookie sensation Oswaldo Cabrera also entered the chat with a two-run blast followed by a Bader-bomb two innings later.
Although there are a handful of individuals who have been disappointments through the first three postseason games, the offense has been relatively quiet; 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position. The pitching, on the other hand, has kept it under control despite a six-run grant in last night’s contest.
If these players continue to struggle, there’s a big chance that they could be moved in the offseason. Performance in the playoffs is taken into consideration when teams shop for players. For instance, Trent Grisham of the San Diego Padres has a 1.329 OPS in the postseason. Ironically, his offensive numbers in the regular season qualify for replacement (.184/.284/.341).
Here are three players whose Yankee futures may change if they continue to underperform.
It may be time to move on from Gleyber Torres
Torres was the subject of trade talks that would oust him from New York. When Torres is hot, there’s nothing more enthralling, but a cold Torres is an eyesore. His bat came alive in September. However, his bat seemed to fluctuate for the majority of 2022. In August, the 25-year-old stooped to a season-low .464 OPS before breaking out in the final month.
Defensively, Torres committed eight errors in the regular season. However, that’s quite an improvement compared to an 18-error season the year prior.
The postseason hasn’t helped Torres’ cause to remain in pinstripes. The Venezuelan amassed just two knocks so far, although he’s making fair contact. Moreover, it won’t be earth-shattering if Brian Cashman disposes of the young second-baseman. The Yanks have multiple up-and-coming prospects who can assure perennial talent at second base. Oswaldo Cabrera, Oswald Peraza, and Anthony Volpe are all considerable options at second.
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Josh Donaldson is only trouble
The 36-year-old is now on the chopping block and is being closely observed to determine his verdict. He has only been trouble this season, both on and off the field. The third baseman never exceeded the .240 mark in any month aside from May (.279/.471/.475). In the field, Donaldson can man the hot corner fairly well, despite committing 12 pretentious errors.
The Florida native is 2-for-8 in the postseason with two strikeouts, both coming in last night’s meltdown. Additionally, his mindless base running has cost the Yankees multiple runs on top of a despicable error in game two. If this persists, it may be the end of Donaldson’s service in the Bronx.
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Aaron Judge’s playoff performance is hurting his future
The consensus MVP will inevitably acquire a multi-year contract with truckloads of incentives. All eyes are on Judge as spree shoppers such as Steve Cohen of the New York Mets are ready to invest in the 2017 Rookie of the Year.
However, a noticeable flaw of Judge is his inability to produce in the postseason. Teams in contention will, by all means, reach for Judge. However, the playoffs are not the time to lower standards. Performing in the playoffs, especially for a figure like Judge, is crucial for his own sake. The 30-year-old owns a .218/.326/.490 slash line with 12 home runs throughout his postseason career.
If Judge intends to bolster a nine-figure contract, his bat needs to contribute. In this series, Judge is 1-for-12, with his only hit in the form of a home run to tie last night’s game. Other than that, the right fielder has been disposed of eight times via the strikeout. The bar needs to be raised for the California native if the Yankees aspire to hoist their 28th title.
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