Ever since returning from the disabled list on July 9, the New York Yankees have hoped that center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury would figure out his offensive struggles. Sadly, so far that has not been the case.
Before injuring himself on a swing-and-miss on May 19, Ellsbury was one of the hottest hitters in the Yankees lineup, as he was hitting .324 while providing a much needed spark at the top of the order.
After missing seven weeks due to the knee injury, Ellsbury’s offense took a drastic hit. Since his return to the everyday lineup, the 32-year-old has posted a .206 batting average, and his 5-52 start in the month of September has helped his season average dip to .251. For a career .289 hitter, his recent struggles are a major concern for this Yankees’ team.
With the Yankees trailing the Toronto Blue Jays in the American League East Division by only three games, there is still hope that the team can win the division. In order to catch the Jays, the Yankees offense must step it up, and it starts at the top of the order with Ellsbury.
The question remains: when will Ellsbury figure out his struggles and return to form? Well, tonight just might be that night.
Yes, the Yankees will face Tampa Bay Ray’s ace Chris Archer tonight, who has dominated the Yankees in the past. In 9 career starts against them, Archer is 5-1 with a 2.18 ERA, but has struggled against one particular Yankee. That Yankee, of course, is Jacoby Ellsbury.
In 21 career plate appearances against Archer, Ellsbury is an astounding 14-21 against the right-hander, including a double and a home run. Ellsbury has had his way at the plate against the talented Archer, and tonight serves as a perfect opportunity for him to figure out his offensive woes.
His recent struggles have really derailed his 2015 season, but there is still a lot of baseball left to be played. The division is still very much in reach, and if Ellsbury can get back on track soon, it would be a huge asset for this Yankees team.
While the numbers are in his favor tonight, the Yankees hope that this game serves as the start of  hot streak for their struggling center fielder.
