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Which Yankees will start at the corner bags next season? | BP Mailbag

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If the Yankees’ convincing three-game sweep of the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday afternoon was any indication of what could transpire during this season’s AL wild-card game, it seems New York is well equipped to conquer its do-or-die fears at Yankee Stadium on Oct. 3.

The surging Yankees (85-67), who lowered their magic number to clinch a postseason berth to four with 10 games left on the slate, cushioned their lead to seven games over Minnesota (78-74) in the wild card standings. It was New York’s 14th win in 18 games, and its sixth consecutive series win. At the moment, the Yankees’ entire lineup is clicking, and their rotation and bullpen are relatively in a groove.

Anyway, here’s another BP Mailbag. This edition happens to focus around the Yankees’ future, rather than their chances in the postseason. As always, thanks to those who sent questions, and sorry for any long-winded responses.

Here we go.

Answer: Remember back in late June when the prodigious Gleyber Torres was expected to bump the hapeless Chase Headley from his starting role at third base? Yeah, it’s been that long and that strange of a year. Since Torres underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery on his left elbow three months ago, the Yankees have seen nothing but production from Headley. And while the trade deadline acquisition of New Jersey native Todd Frazier isn’t paying huge dividends, he’s beloved in the clubhouse, and chemistry has played a significant role in the team’s recent success. 

It’s kind of hard to believe that the Yankees have encountered such a high-end problem at the hot corner, but that’s where they stand. In regard to the question (which asks who will start at third base next season), go ahead and mark Mr. Outside Hire off the list. It wouldn’t make much sense for the Yankees to spend money on a free agent third baseman, unless general manager Brian Cashman and Frazier come to terms on some sweetheart deal or hometown discount this winter. Figure that Frazier won’t return next season, and that Headley will keep his job at third base. The 33-year-old has one year left on his contract, and if he performs during the first half, it would make him a prime trade candidate in July. Torres has a great deal of promise and his major league debut is on the horizon, but he would probably need to have a miraculous spring to steal the job from Headley. It’s also difficult to predict Miguel Andujar’s future with the club, as there’s little room for him. If the Yankees have their mind set on signining Manny Machado in 2019, sticking with a rental-type player makes the most sense in 2018. So, give the job back to Headley. 

 

Answer: Bird, Bird, Bird. The Yankees didn’t trade for a first baseman this summer because of their faith in Greg Bird, and if he can play from April to September next season, he’ll be quite a valuable asset. It’s a big if, but the Yankees believe he’s their future first baseman, which means he’ll receive a number of opportunities moving forward. Eric Hosmer is going to make big bucks this winter, and much like the Yankees’ situation at third base, it wouldn’t be smart for them to spend wads of cash on a free agent. The worst-case scenario would likely see Headley at first, should Bird suffer another injury. But right now, there’s a great deal of trust in Bird.

 

Answer: In the case of Aaron Judge versus Boston’s Andrew Benintendi for American League Rookie of the Year, let the numbers do the talking. To be honest, there’s no need to even debate this. Judge is the only player in baseball history to have 45 home runs, 100 RBI’s, and 100 runs scored in their rookie season. He’s also the third rookie in history with 100 runs, 100 RBI and 100 walks in a season. The two other players are Al Rosen (1950) and Hall-of-Famer Ted Williams (1939). Despite his post-All-Star break slump, his production at the plate has been historical, and he’ll definitely receive the ROY award. Benintendi’s rookie campaign has been solid (.278 BA, 19 HR, 87 RBI), and he has a bright future, but he’ll finish second in voting. The right question to ask is should Judge win the Most Valuable Player award, and although that race is much tighter, Judge has a legitimate shot at even more hardware. 

 

Answer: The Yankees’ production on offense has come in bunches this season, but they haven’t really struggled to rally from behind late in games. According to TeamRankings.com, the Yankees have averaged 2.3 runs per game in the last four innings (6th to 9th), which is the second-highest mark in baseball. In the last three innings (7th to 9th), they’ve scored 1.6 runs, which happens to be third-best. The Yankees also have 33 wins when their opponent scores first — the most among AL teams, per Katie Sharp (@ktsharp on Twitter). Whether the offense is experiencing a hot or cold streak, they’re almost always resilient, and that’s an invaluable skill to have in October. 

 

Answer: It’s possible. Although Chance Adams made great strides as a starter with Double-A Trenton and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this season, he’s only 22, and he doesn’t have much minor league experience under his belt. If Masahiro Tanaka chooses to opt out of his contract and CC Sabathia finds work elsewhere, it could make sense to stick Adams into the rotation. But if one or even both of those guys continues to pitch in the Bronx, perhaps Adams doesn’t see major league innings until later on in the year. Don’t count out the possibility of Adams working out of a bullpen role either. His role with the 2018 Yankees seems up in the air right now.

If you want to connect with Tom Hanslin, email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter @tomhanslin.