Yankees: 5 offseason decisions Brian Cashman wishes he could have back

3. Trusting Joey Gallo to bounce back

The regular season is still in its infancy but Gallo has already managed to post a WAR of -0.4 in 12 games. That’s an accurate illustration of just how bad he’s been at the plate during his first 37 at-bats.

It’s reasonable to assume his performance won’t remain this bad all season long, but his .135 batting average at a corner outfield spot is not acceptable. Boone is already showing signs of losing patience with Gallo by benching him more frequently than most anticipated coming into the campaign.

The easiest solution for Cashman this offseason would have been to find a legitimate star to play center field while moving Aaron Hicks to Gallo’s spot in left. That likely would have necessitated finding a trade partner for Gallo and his salary, but it’s a move Cashman could have swung.

Instead, the team’s options to replace Gallo currently largely involve Marwin Gonzalez and Tim Locastro. Both have some upside as bench players but neither needs to play every day. Don’t be shocked if the Yankees look to make an upgrade in left sooner, rather than later if Gallo continues to flounder.