Outfield
- Jacoby Ellsbury (.263, 9 HR, 56 RBI, 20 SB)
- Brett Gardner (.261, 7 HR, 41 RBI, 16 SB)
- Aaron Hicks (.217, 8 HR, 31 RBI)
- Aaron Judge (.179, 4 HR, 10 RBI)
- Carlos Beltran (.304, 22 HR, 64 RBI w/ NYY)
Let’s not give this outfield any more credit than it deserves. It was absolutely lame.
Ellsbury and Gardner, who are supposed to be the two table setters, do not get on base nearly enough, meaning they do not steal nearly enough. Even when they do reach first, you rarely see them at second. Both of them, more particularly Gardner, underperformed this year.
Hicks, who was brought on to play every outfield position as a backup, finally showed why the Yankees acquired him in August and September. With that said, April through July was a train-wreck.
Aaron Judge showed promising signs early on but was pitiful until going down for the remainder of the year with an oblique injury. He had no answer for the breaking ball, striking out at an absurd rate.
Trading away Beltran likely helped the franchise’s future greatly but did not help the second half cause whatsoever. If the Yanks want to get guys like Mason Williams and, ultimately, Clint Frazier — their No. 1 prospect — further involved in the near future, they need to find Ellsbury or Gardner a new home.
