Rather than discuss the Yankees losing yet another series, let’s discuss the actual story of the series.
That would be the Bronx Bombers/Brian Cashman letting the kids play and calling up prospects Everson Pereira and Oswald Peraza. Their roles were clear from the start. Pereira would be the everyday left fielder and Peraza, who’s had two cups of coffee in New York, would slot in at third base.
The situation isn’t too different from late 2016. That’s when the Yankees traded for Gleyber Torres, punted the season, and focused on three prospects: Tyler Austin, Gary Sanchez, and a big outfielder named Aaron Judge. Perhaps you’ve heard of him?
Granted, neither Pereira nor Peraza took East 161st and River Avenue by storm in three games. Judge did that himself with a three-homer game on Wednesday.
But in time, both Everson Pereira and Oswald Peraza should have better days as the Yankees finish out the season. Let’s assess their performance against Washington.
Everson Pereira. The bare numbers say Pereira was 1 for 12 against Washington with a double, an RBI (on a fielder’s choice), and five strikeouts with a run scored. The 22-year-old also registered an outfield assist and had a good read of the strike zone across 11 total plate appearances. Better yet, he saw a grand total of 43 pitches.
First hit in the majors for Pereira 👊
Congratulations Everson! pic.twitter.com/xQsDewP9GU
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) August 24, 2023
It’s easy to get anxious about Pereira looking overwhelmed, except he isn’t. Strikeouts are a part of any youngster adjusting to MLB and he won’t be any different, not even after batting .300 in the minors. Instead, focus on his maturity and patience instead of taking overly aggressive swings. Pereira should have every chance to keep getting playing time so long as the Yankees are patient with him.
Oswald Peraza. The young Peraza’s status with the Yankees isn’t as clear. Like Pereira, he was 1 for 11 with a walk and a run scored against Washington. The only difference is he didn’t register any RBIs. Peraza has also been called up to the majors two other times this season and is hitting a meager .159.
What a play by Peraza 👏 pic.twitter.com/iPIi8UpRDn
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) August 24, 2023
The next few weeks are critical for Peraza. He has a plus glove and his power has continued improving down on the farm. The problem is it hasn’t translated to the majors yet and the gap between Peraza and veteran Gleyber Torres remains wide. If his hitting struggles continue, the Yankees might have no choice but to trade him and give Torres an extension.
Next up: Both youngsters will get a taste of an AL East rivalry when the Yankees visit the Tampa Bay Rays for the weekend.
