New York Yankees Place Alex Rodriguez on 15-day DL
By Bill Pivetz
The Yankees placed designated hitter Alex Rodriguez on the 15-day DL with a hamstring injury. This will cause some shifts in the lineup, maybe for the better.
The 2016 New York Yankees are struggling a bit, to say the least. Their 8-16 record is their worst 24-game start since 1991. The team sits in last place in the American League East, 6.5 games behind the Baltimore Orioles. There are a lot of reasons for the lack of wins, and while the pitching staff can take some of the blame, most of it should lie on the shoulders of the offense.
More from Fantasy Baseball
- 5 fantasy baseball waiver wire pivots to replace Triston McKenzie
- Fantasy baseball mock draft 2023, 12-team: Aaron Judge over Trea Turner?
- 3 fantasy baseball sleepers being drafted too late
- NBA DFS picks December 25: Merry Bucking Christmas
- Fantasy Baseball: Hot pitchers worthy of starting this weekend
If the Yankees want to compete in this tough division, they need to start hitting. However, the team will be without veteran slugger Alex Rodriguez for a little while. He was placed on the 15-day DL with a hamstring injury he suffered in Tuesday’s game. This will force manager Joe Girardi to move some players around. Maybe that will get this offense going.
On the season, A-Rod is hitting just .194/.275/.444 with five home runs, 12 RBI and two steals. He also has 20 strikeouts and seven walks in 20 games. He’s making contact 69.7 percent of the time. He never finished a season with a contact rate lower than 70 percent. Alex Rodriguez does have six hits (three home runs) and six RBI in his last five games.
This injury creates a lot of ripple effect in the Yankees lineup. Carlos Beltran will likely become the DH, freeing up right field for Aaron Hicks. Hicks played well in left earlier in the season, so having consistent playing time will benefit the Yankees. Jacoby Ellsbury and Brett Gardner will stay in their respective positions. Dustin Ackley may see some time in the outfield, or even at first if Mark Teixeira were to DH for a day or two.
Luckily, the Yankees have some versatility on their bench. Though, this isn’t the position fantasy owners or management expected the team to be in. I wouldn’t rush out to pick up any of the Yankees that aren’t already owned, unless you play in an AL-only or deep league.
Next: Twins' Danny Santana Deep Waiver Add
Alex Rodriguez is still owned in 37.2 percent of ESPN leagues. I would expect that number to drop significantly over the next day or two. There is no timetable for his return, so you shouldn’t stash him on your bench. He also dealt with an oblique injury earlier in the year. Hopefully this time off can set A-Rod and the rest of this lineup back to their 2015 power-hitting ways.