3 Yankees on thin ice as season going up in flames

Yankees: Jake Bauers doesn’t have much roster security past this season

The New York Yankees have seen an increase of Jake Bauers in their lineup ever since Anthony Rizzo landed on the injured list with concussion-like symptoms. Many saw this as his opportunity to prove his place on Aaron Boone’s team and Bauers likely saw it as the same chance. But he certainly hasn’t played like a player that’s fighting for a spot on the Yankees beyond 2023.

In the month of August, his slash line is a putrid .211/.279/.395, which is collectively worse than his entire season slash line. His future for New York would be as a rotational utility man, but with Rizzo under contract for years to come, first base doesn’t seem like a viable option. Across the outfield, his odds may be even worse.

Aaron Judge is the right fielder in New York for the foreseeable future. New York has been willing to move infielders to the outfield just to get their bat in the lineup, as they’ve done with Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Oswaldo Cabrera. Cabrera will likely play outfield for most of his Yankee career. To pair with that, New York’s top 3 prospects, per MLB Pipeline, are all outfielders. If Bauers doesn’t get his play together, he will continue on thin ice with the Yankees.