You’ll rarely find a New York Yankees team that appeals to a neutral baseball fan.
Their usual embarrassment of riches of some of the game’s biggest names — which results in seemingly annual contention — is the reason why they’ve been dubbed “The Evil Empire,” by the baseball world.
But there’s something about the 2019 team that’s just so likable as the team epitomizes the mantra “next man up.”
A litany of injuries has led to the emergences of several new Yankees stars, ranging from the over-the-hillers to the completely unknown.
Infielder DJ LeMahieu has increased his batting average by 56 points compared to last season with the Colorado Rockies. The 31-year-old who had never hit more than 15 home runs in a season now has 22 with the Yankees.
Reserve outfielder Cameron Maybin possessed a .254 career batting average in 12 MLB seasons with seven different teams.
In the Bronx, he’s batting .297 in 63 games.
Third baseman Gio Urshela, who had a .225 career batting average in 167 games before joining the Yankees, is batting .332 with 18 home runs.
Outfielder Mike Tauchman was written off by the Rockies, shipped to the Yankees for next to nothing after he batted .153 with no home runs and two RBI in 52 career games.
The 28-year-old is batting .290 with 12 home runs through 77 games with the Yankees.
Even Mike Ford, who has stepped up for the injured Luke Voit and Edwin Encarnacion, has eight home runs in his first 32 career MLB games.
It’s all coming up roses for a Yankees team that sits atop the American League as we approach the final stretch of the regular season.
But manager Aaron Boone and the organization are going to be faced with some difficult decisions over the next few weeks.
The Yankees are going to see their regular starters make their way back into the fold as they return to health, which will make piecing together a 40-man roster a nightmare.
Both Voit and Encarnacion are close to returning. Voit could be back as soon as Friday while Encarnacion will follow soon after.
That makes Ford expendable and poses a problem regarding Urshela.
LeMahieu has taken over a bulk of the first-base duties during Voit and Encarnacion’s stints on the IL. With Gleyber Torres at second and Didi Gregorius at shortstop, the only place to put LeMahieu would be at third base.
That suddenly makes Urshela a utility infielder for the stretch run.
Then comes the influx of talent that comes off the 60-day IL.
Before the regular season is up, the Yankees could see starting pitchers Luis Severino, Jordan Montgomery, relievers Dellin Betances, Ben Heller, and outfielder Giancarlo Stanton reactivated.
That’s five players that need to be re-added to the 40-man roster meaning there will have to be five players either optioned to the minors or designated for assignment.
While Yankees fans seem hesitant on reintroducing Stanton, a $325 million contract won’t be used coming off the bench. That could mean the end of the road for either Maybin, who is currently dealing with a wrist injury, or Tauchman.
