Didi Gregorius’ injury certainly complicates the Yankees infield picture in 2019. Will Brian Cashman make a big move to strengthen this group?
Brian Cashman hasn’t made any secret of the Yankees ambition for the 2019 season. It’s World Series title or bust in the Bronx. That means the organization will look to strengthen every aspect of Aaron Boone’s sorter.
The starting infield will pose Cashman and company with some interesting choices. The news that Didi Gregorius will require Tommy John surgery will definitely influence the team’s plans. For the record, the fact that he won’t be ready for Opening Day does disqualify him from our projections. He obviously can factor into plans later in the season, but there’s no chance we’ll see him before June.
This is also an area of the roster where a big free agent acquisition could shake things up. Expect Cashman to vet every potential option to upgrade this group. We’ll start our predictions with an obvious choice at catcher.
Catcher-Gary Sanchez
Yes, Sanchez has some serious flaws. His inability to block fairly routine pitches behind the plate can be maddening. He also endured a horrific season at the plate. There’s no way a player with his talent should hit under .200.
With all that being said, the organization has made its faith in Sanchez abundantly clear. They stuck by him through an injury-marred regular season and he rewarded them with a massive Game 2 against the Red Sox. That, in and of itself, will propel him to a starting role in 2019.
While we’re on the subject, you should strongly consider placing a bet on Sanchez to be next season’s Comeback Player of the Year. As we mentioned earlier, he’s got too much talent to play as poorly as he did last year. There’s a reason many scouts openly suggested he was the Yankees most talented hitter during Spring Training. It’s just a matter of putting it all together in one solid, healthy season for Sanchez.