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5 Yankees players fighting for their jobs in final month of the season

Which New York Yankees are on the chopping block?

By Joseph Kallan

Jul 12, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; New York Yankees third baseman DJ LeMahieu (26) twos to first base during the first inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 12, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; New York Yankees third baseman DJ LeMahieu (26) twos to first base during the first inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports / Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
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As the MLB season winds down with just a month left to play, teams across the league are fighting for the opportunity to make a postseason appearance.

One team almost certain to see themselves playing October baseball is the New York Yankees, whose season has been filled with trials and tribulations, including injuries, bullpen issues, and head-scratching lineup decisions.

Despite being favored to win the American League East, a few Yankees still need to prove their place within the roster in 2025. Here are five Yankees players fighting for their jobs in the season's final month. 

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5. Jose Trevino 

After the Yankees parted ways with Gary Sanchez in 2021, Jose Trevino stepped into the lineup and performed exceptionally. In 2022, Trevino caught a career-best 115 games, notching an All-Star appearance and multiple defensive accolades. However, 2023 has been a different story.

Injuries have been a roadblock for him to replicate previous success, as catching duties are being split with Austin Wells. Since returning from the IL, Trevino has struggled tremendously, batting just .071 in August along with having the slowest arm speed among catchers attempting to throw out base runners stealing.

September offers Trevino one final chance to improve his numbers both offensively and defensively. 

4. Alex Verdugo

After signing with the Yankees in the 2024 offseason, Alex Verdugo was positioned to be the team's answer in left field. Verdugo started strong, finishing April batting .267 with an .804 OPS.

Despite being a threat defensively alongside Juan Soto and Aaron Judge, Verdugo has seen his 2024 campaign dive headfirst into the ground. He’s struggled to get it done offensively, batting just .204 with one home run in August. With top prospect Jason Dominguez currently dominating the minor leagues, Verdugo needs to turn his season script around if he wants to swing the bat in the postseason. 

3. Clay Holmes 

Whether Yankees fans call him “Heart Attack Holmes” or “Cardiac Clay,” Clay Holmes has been one of the most perplexed MLB relievers this season.

Despite ranking eighth among active relievers in save percentage, Holmes leads the majors in blown saves with 10.

As The Yankees fight with the Baltimore Orioles for first place, Holmes will need to throw his strong stuff to show the team how reliable he can be, possibly securing a new contract post-2024. 

2. DJ Lemahieu

DJ Lemahieu is going through one of the worst MLB seasons in his career.

Lemahieu was sidelined at the beginning of the season with an injury, and since his return, the statistics are not what the Yankees would like to see. His career lows in batting average, home runs, RBIs, and slugging are hurting rather than helping, displaying a WAR of -1.6.

With Anthony Rizzo back with the team after an IL sting and Jazz Chisolm Jr. hitting well, there may not be any room for the 36-year-old on next year’s roster, as his future with the franchise remains in troubled waters.

1. Aaron Boone

Although Aaron Boone has not taken the field for the Yankees, his tenure as a manager with the team could be in jeopardy.

Since taking over the position in 2018, Boone hasn’t been able to bring a World Series title or even an appearance in six seasons.

In 2024 alone, Boone has started 57 different batting lineups, and with players like DJ Lemahieu and Alex Verdugo struggling to offer run support, his decision-making is often called into question. His decision to pull effective pitchers with quality starts in favor of a rather shaky bullpen is a key reason why the Yankees have been unable to close out several games. 

Although the Yankees are projected to finish top of the division, Boone could be on the hot seat as a manager, with former players such as Andy Pettite, Jorge Posada, or C.C. Sabathia potentially waiting for a chance to shine bringing a more dominant mindset to a clubhouse that hasn’t won a championship in 15 years. 

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