Clint Frazier’s season has lacked assurance and ascension, and this reality was oddly substantiated during his latest plate appearance.
With the Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays tied at 6-6 in the top of the ninth inning on Sunday at Tropicana Field, Frazier, who pinch-hit for Neil Walker, hit a towering fly ball toward left field, which seemingly had the distance to travel over the fence.
But, the 24-year-old rookie outfielder never found out. Instead, the ball caromed off a speaker on the B-ring catwalk near the stadium roof, and landed in the glove of Rays’ shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria in shallow left field for a baffling, disheartening, game-changing pop-out.
Was that swing supposed to put the Yankees on top, and perhaps salvage the club from a series that ultimately concluded with three straight losses in St. Petersburg?
Frazier sure believes so.
“It was definitely going to be a home run,” Frazier told the New York Daily News. “I think Statcast said it was going to go like [335] feet. Got robbed of one… It’s like hitting a bird in the sky is what it felt like. That’s unfortunate, because we’d be on the plane by now. It’s a hard one to swallow. I didn’t even know it hit the speaker. I thought it was gone… It’s something that hopefully never happens to anyone else.”
Clint Frazier hit a ball so high, it hit one of the speakers near the roof, and it was caught in the outfield for an out. Sweet fancy Moses. What a terrible break for Frazier. #Yankees pic.twitter.com/J6oyVBvlp7
— Tom Hanslin (@tomhanslin) June 24, 2018
2018 has been a trying year for Frazier, even though he’s currently on the big league roster.
During the first week of spring training games in late February, Frazier suffered a concussion against the Pittsburgh Pirates after colliding with the outfield wall in Bradenton, Florida. His odds of making the majors out of camp were already slim, but Frazier was never given an opportunity to prove himself, as the symptoms to his head injury lingered for weeks, forcing him to sit out all of March and April.
Frazier eventually returned to the field in early May with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, and in 38 minor league games this season, he’s slashed .312/.389/.558 with seven home runs, 11 doubles, three triples, 19 walks, and 11 RBI in 154 at-bats.
Those numbers indicate that Frazier’s more than ready for a new role and challenge. But the Yankees aren’t quite in a position to offer him anything yet, which leaves Frazier’s status with the club rather undetermined — between a rock and a hard place.
Based on the ample production the Yankees have received from their outfield regulars this month, Frazier’s playing time might not be a pressing matter from the front office’s point of view. Before Brett Gardner missed nearly a week’s worth of games after suffering a minor knee injury last weekend (Frazier did take Gardner’s place then), he had hit .324 in his past 27 games. Aaron Hicks has also been hot at the plate in June, hitting .268 with five homers, five doubles, and 11 RBI in 71 at-bats. Frazier would likely have to beat out one of those two names, since Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton are permanent lineup fixtures as either the right fielder or designated hitter.
Frazier’s abilities aren’t easily ignored, and the Yankees realize the impact he can make when his name is called upon. But the club has been conveniently handcuffed with an abundance of positional talent, and the recurring question stirring the rumor mill pot is, would the Yankees be inclined to move Frazier in exchange for pitching at this summer’s trade deadline?
It’s a fair question to ask. But it’s an unfair — or, call it unfortunate — situation for Frazier.
The Yankees are only hoping that he can remain patient through the process, because they’re not ready to let him go.
“We’re lucky to have him. He’s getting better,” Yankees’ general manager Brian Cashman told NBC New York’s Bruce Beck on Sunday’s Sports Final program. “He’s a toolbox that, every year since we’ve got him, he’s exponentially improved… Over time, there very well could be [a place for Frazier to play regularly], and we’d like to hold onto him. I know he’s someone that we’re going to get asked a lot about, and so far we’ve been able to say no and hand-check everything.
“But I’m a big fan of Clint Frazier. He was a big piece of that trade of Andrew Miller, along with some others. And I think he’s got a lot of really good baseball ahead of him. So, he’s going about his business perfectly right now. He’s impacting us in a positive way and saying all the right things. But it’s got to be frustrating for a talented player like that to be obviously at times not playing at the major league level or stuck at Triple-A.”
So, is it worth keeping Frazier confined in a reduced role when he could be seeing more at-bats in the minors? Is there a purpose here? Who really benefits in this scenario?
The Yankees will claim there is a greater purpose, but the inconvenient truth is that there currently is no plan in the works. For now, Frazier will primarily serve as a bench player.
And that indefinite role might be a daunting task for a youngster who essentially went from hero to zero on Sunday, thanks to a high-mounted speaker which happened to be positioned as the Rays’ fourth outfielder.
If you want to connect with Tom Hanslin, email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter @tomhanslin.
