BALTIMORE — Cody Bellinger loved a get-right recreation on Tuesday night time to additional construct on an encouraging week and was rewarded on Wednesday with … a time off.
The Orioles sending lefty Cade Povich to the mound had one thing to do with that, however additionally it is the conundrum the Yankees are dealing with each day as they rotate 4 outfielders for 3 spots — or, actually, three outfielders for 2 spots as a result of Aaron Choose is just not going wherever until it’s the occasional DH day.
Aaron Boone considers this a great drawback to have as a result of it has largely been necessitated by Trent Grisham’s resurgent begin to the season that has compelled his bat into the lineup regularly. It implies that on most nights, one among Bellinger, Grisham or Jasson Domínguez goes to be out of the lineup.
“We have a lot of deserving people to play,” Boone stated Wednesday at Camden Yards earlier than wrapping up a sequence in opposition to the Orioles with a 5-4 loss. “So I’ve a man [sitting] normally day-after-day that I’d slightly have within the lineup. However it additionally offers us an opportunity to maintain guys contemporary, hold guys enjoying rather a lot.
“Just feel like this’ll hopefully be a good thing in the long haul for all of us.”
The every day choice is tougher when the Yankees are dealing with a right-handed starter, because the switch-hitting Domínguez is best from the left aspect and each Grisham and Bellinger hit left-handed.
And the puzzle might get much more sophisticated at any time when Giancarlo Stanton returns from the injured listing, particularly if Ben Rice continues to be crushing the ball — due to this fact taking away much more DH at-bats from one of many outfielders — however that’s not imminent.
Getting into Wednesday, Bellinger and Domínguez had every began 25 video games whereas Grisham had began 17, however seven of the previous eight when he was not on the paternity listing.
His significance to the lineup has taken off in latest weeks, with the left-handed hitter now all of the sudden a fixture on the prime of the lineup — largely within the prime spot, the place he crushed one other leadoff homer on Tuesday, although he batted second in opposition to Povich on Wednesday, going 1-for-4.
Grisham, who’s now hitting .292, entered the night time with a 1.030 OPS — second on the staff behind solely Choose’s 1.235.
The middle fielder’s monitor document would recommend that enjoying this properly might not be absolutely sustainable over the course of the lengthy season, however the Yankees are going to maintain working him on the market so long as he continues to hit.
“Regularity helps — I’m not going to say it doesn’t,” Grisham stated this week. “I learned a lot last year about coming off the bench and I think it made me a little better in that aspect. So I think I’m more fit for handling both roles.”
Bellinger, in the meantime, went 2-for-4 with a house run, two-run double and two walks Tuesday and entered the sport batting .318 with a 1.039 OPS, six walks and solely three strikeouts over his previous six video games earlier than hanging out in a pinch-hit look Wednesday.
He has been the least productive hitter of the three outfielders by means of the primary month of the season (with a .644 OPS), however could also be discovering some footing of late.
“I feel like he’s built some momentum here these last couple of days,” Boone stated.
As for Domínguez, the 22-year-old — who went 0-for-4 within the Yankees’ loss on Wednesday night time — has been a distinct hitter from both aspect of the plate.
In 62 plate appearances as a left-handed hitter, he was batting .321 with a .887 OPS. In 38 plate appearances as a right-handed hitter, he was batting simply .094 (3-for-32) with a .424 OPS.
“I think it’s inexperience,” Boone stated. “He simply hasn’t performed a ton of baseball for a 22-year-old. So that actually exhibits up on the fitting aspect the place you’re clearly getting much less at-bats. I believe he has the makings to be good over there, whereas acknowledging it’s been a battle there too.
“The good thing about this year there, I feel like he’s shown signs of really controlling the zone from that side. There’s been some swing-and-miss there. He’s got a couple really big hits for us from that side too. One of those things you got to keep working at and be a little patient with a young player.”
