Miguel Andujar's success is making the Yankees' 3B decision uncomplicated

  When the time finally came for the Yankees to promote their highly touted prospect in Gleyber Torres just one week ago, most analysts and fans believed this momentous decision was the spark plug that a teetering club needed.  It turns out that was true. Since last Sunday -- the day Torres made his major league debut at second base against the Blue Jays in the Bronx -- the Yankees (17-9) have been one of the hottest teams in baseball. As winners of eight consecutive games, New York has received ample production at the plate (+45 run differential during this span) and quality performances from its starting pitchers and bullpen alike. The Yankees can attribute their recent success to several players -- especially shortstop Didi Gregorius, who would likely receive the most MVP votes if the season ended in April. Not far down the list is Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez. Giancarlo Stanton is still in the midst of climbing out of an early hole, but his at-bats remain must-see TV every day. Even the 21-year-old Torres has been making the highlight reels. Are the Yankees playing more loose? Yes.  Are they generating chemistry? Yes.  Has this stretch been ignited by Torres' presence and his contributions? Probably. But at the moment, another rookie infielder is making a greater impact on the field, and he's proving to be just as valuable as Torres. Yankees' third baseman Miguel Andujar is on a torrid hitting pace. In his last 15 games (62 at-bats), the 23-year-old has slashed .371/.391/.472 with 12 doubles, three home runs, and 11 RBI. On Saturday night in Anaheim, Andujar went 3-for-5 in New York's 11-1 beatdown of the Angels. According to Baseball-Almanac.com, the rookie record for most doubles in a season is 52, which was set by Johnny Frederick of the Brooklyn Dodgers back in 1929. Right now, Andujar's 12 doubles are the most in baseball, and although his defense at the corner bag remains a work-in-progress, he's patently showcased the hitting ability that Yankees' scouts and executives raved about.  “Miggy continues to earn the opportunity,’’ manager Aaron Boone told the New York Post after the game. “It’s hard to deny what he has done.’’ However, the Yankees will soon encounter a tricky decision involving Andujar, since Brandon Drury is close to returning to the majors. Drury has been on the disabled list since April 7 due to severe migraines and blurred vision. A few weeks ago, Drury revealed to reporters that this issue was recurring, as he's dealt with headaches and impaired vision for years. In just eight big league games, Drury has hit .271 (5-for-23), but the Yankees believe he can get back on track, thanks to treatment solutions discovered by team doctors.  During the winter, when the Yankees were weighing their options at third base, general manager Brian Cashman pulled the trigger on a trade for Drury. At just 25-years-old, the team believes Drury has untapped potential. But removing Andujar from the lineup once Drury is back would be counterproductive -- especially if Andujar continues to get on base. 

“We have two really good players, two really good options and Miggy is taking every advantage of his opportunity, proving that he can play up here and being a guy who’s going to hit in our lineup for a long time," Boone told NorthJersey.com. “But nothing’s changed in our view of Brandon Drury, either. We traded for him because not only has he had a nice start to his career, but we think there’s even more in there.

“So, we feel like we’re sitting there with two major league starting players and we’ll have to make decisions as the days unfold. But we’re not quite there yet."

Unlike Andujar, who seems to be stuck at third base, Drury has experience at a few other positions. In three seasons with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Drury played 89 games in the outfield and 136 games at second base. The bulk of his second base work came in 2017 (114 games there), since Arizona has a star emerging in third baseman Jake Lamb.

Drury may be a natural third baseman, but perhaps the Yankees could experiment with moving him around the diamond. At the moment that may be difficult, since Tyler Austin has played exceptionally well at first base and Torres seems fit for second base. But Drury has proven to be versatile, and that's something the Yankees should acknowledge.

Andujar still has minor league options available, but to make room for Drury, the club could cut ties with veteran infielder Neil Walker, who's struggled mightily this month. If this doesn't happen, the Yankees would then have 13 position players on the 25-man roster, and they'd likely have to send a reliever down to Triple-A.  Operating with a bench of three players is ideal, but in the meantime, carrying an additional bat seems like a practical solution if the Yankees aren't quite ready to move on from Walker.

"I've always said, ‘It’s about doing your job and it doesn’t matter what’s going on and what different situations are around you,'" Andujar recently told NJ.com. "For me, it’s about doing my job, coming here and preparing myself, learning from my coaches and from my teammates and making the best of the opportunity. That's the way I see it."

Regardless of how the Yankees approach this dilemma, it makes little sense to appoint Andujar as the odd man out -- especially if he continues to hit at this impressive rate.

If you want to connect with Tom Hanslin, email him at thanslin@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter @tomhanslin.