The Yankees have optioned infielder/outfielder Miguel Andujar to their alternate training site, per a club announcement. Fellow infielder Thairo Estrada and righty Nick Nelson were sent down with him.
It’s a bit of a surprise to see Andujar dropped, but he had struggled in limited opportunities thus far. The 25-year-old has reached base just one time in 14 plate appearances.
Andujar turned in a high-powered rookie season in 2018, but was knocked out early last year due to a shoulder injury. He entered the current campaign at full health, but was bypassed in the meantime by Gio Urshela, who has thus far maintained a shocking 2019 breakout.
The depth on hand left the Yanks looking for ways to get Andujar into the lineup. But there aren’t many more opportunities in an outfield that is fully loaded with healthy, productive hitters at the moment. And Andujar isn’t exactly a natural out in left field.
Just about any other club would’ve had a much longer leash. But the Yanks have a bevy of alternatives. Perhaps it’s best for all involved if Andujar gets some more time re-polishing his swing in camp.
It’s certainly fair to wonder what the future holds for Andujar in New York. Given the limits on trades this year, he could be an interesting chip to dangle. If he’s not able to re-take an active roster spot, he’ll finish the season shy of three full years of MLB service, which would mean waiting an extra season for arbitration and eventual free agency.
i cant believe Boone left Nelson in for so long in that first game. poor kid got completely beat up.
Boone clearly wasn’t aware how terrible the Phillies bullpen is. He left Nelson on the hook to save arms for game 2. If he takes Nelson out, Yankees may have won game 1.
And then, what in game 2 ?
I couldn’t agree more. He should have pulled him after three batters.
Was this your first time watching a big league game? Do you have a man crush on Nelson?
The rosters shrunk-he had to take one for the team. Wheeler was pitching well.
He was also pitching well. Did you see the comedy of errors and misplays in the field?
You blame your pitcher for that? Or the manager?
Wanna know who screwed the Yankees in game 1? Angel Hernandez. That was ball four. That’s bases drunk with one out. And a full bench at their disposal. Instead,two on and two out.
Welcome to the big leagues. With a double header yesterday, he was scheduled to give them some innings. He was going down today regardless with rosters cutting back to 28.
It wasn’t a real double header.. 7in
Two games, minimum 14 innings. He was scheduled.
Frazier/Andujar package trade coming since they’ve both been optioned now.
For the ever demeaning “player to be named later”.
And if Cashman would have done that 2 1/2 years ago for Gerritt Cole he would have had another WS win.
Cole wasn’t the pitcher then as he is now. The reason the Yankees revamped their entire pitching development and replaced their pitching coach is because they weren’t good at unlocking a pitcher’s potential. Regardless of people’s feelings toward the Astros, they turned Cole into what he is today.
Odd how a guy is pretty good, then goes to the Astros and all of a sudden just finds his potential.
If you’re willing to bang on trash cans while batting, what’s to stop you from developing a similar device for pitching?
Absolutely
What would be a similiar device for pitching? Brainwaves sent to confuse the batter?
Joe-you are correct in saying Cole is much better now but some of that is personal maturity,some experience,and some getting on competitive teams and away from the Pirates.All of that could have been predictable to a good GM.Yes,the Astros probably had a sizable impact,but remember that Cole was the #1 pick in the draft.His first two years were very good,and then he had arm problems,although not major,in his last two years.Even if the Yankees were not the best at developing pitchers,they still would have gotten a #1 in Cole,which is what they dearly needed.
These young players do not always turn out as highly as projected.
Don’t expect a lot back for major league players who cannot make a 28 man roster, even if it is the Yankees.
Please please please can we get Lindor for one of them and package our SS & C prospects?
Nah, the Indians aren’t ever trading Lindor this season being a playoff team that would definitely be foolish.
A guy who can’t make the Yankees roster and 2 prospects outside the top 100 for one of the best players in the game. How can the Indians say no?
Javia- The Indians are not an option for the Yankees via trade. But the Braves, Tigers, and the Rangers are for either Andujar or Frazier or both though
No one wants Frazier for the umpteenth time. Absorb that.
I’m sure someone wants Frazier…..
Sometimes you got to leave them in and see what kind of moxy they have when there losing, in a tight game situation.
Now bring up Clarke Schmidt
Won’t happen anytime soon
With both Happ and Paxton sputtering, they could opt to remove one of them from the rotation. Happ will have the shortest leash as they will not let that option vest. They’ll do whatever they can to get Paxton into form before the postseason.
Finally,Frazier could get a chance?
No room at the inn, unless they decide to reduce the number of relievers.
It’s about time to let Happ go. Can’t even make it 4 innings smh Let the kids play.
Yep, Happ looks cooked; although to be fair, he started slowly last year. But that 2-3 month cushion to hit his stride is gone . OTOH, Monty looks to have regained his 2017 form.
He was never a good pitcher to begin with. Sonny Gray would look better in a Yankees uni at this point.
Wow I’m kind of surprised that they aren’t going to give Andujar more of a chance to re-establish himself. I know this might only be temporary but still he looked like such a promising young player in his first season then got hurt last year and I’d have thought they’d really want to try and get him back up to speed this year to hopefully build off that 27HR rookie campaign
Yanks have a chance this year and been awhile. Fans were used to winning WS and seeing boston win 4 to their last 1 won’t do. Carrying both Sanchez and Andujar struggling like this and continually hoping might have been too much to expect when they have other options.
This and 2021 they seem primed for and should take advantage of imho, not waste.
Andujar had 14 PAs this season. So what if he struggled for the extremely short amount of time he was given? I swear its like people forget that baseball is a game of hot and cold spells
Read the article: there is no where for him to play. Stanton is DH and hitting well. He is not a good defensive player and they have better options at third (Urshela), first (Voit), and even in the outfield (Hicks, Stanton, Judge and Gardner are all better defensively and 3 of the 4 are hitting well).
They’ve tried to fit him in here and there, but it hasn’t worked out, since he needs a regular spot– a spot they just don’t have for him. At this point, he and Frazier are just stuck. Too risky to trade them just yet since Stanton and Judge are so injury prone.
If not for covid, Andujar would have been the regular DH to open the year, and Frazier likely the every day left fielder.
Basically agree. It’s a numbers game. The Yankees have more potential starting position players than open positions at the moment. I did think one of Frazier or Andujar would platoon with Gardner in left. Looks like they want to give Tauchman more of the playing time. In fairness, Judge, Hicks, Gardner and Tauchman are all good to plus defenders. Stanton is also a good OFer in right, but he’s not displacing Judge defensively. They want to keep Stanton healthy. There likely will be injuries.
Andujar will be back before Labor Day and probably sooner. No way Stanton, Judge and Hicks play “full” seasons — they never do.
Stanton’s not even playing the outfield, he’s essentially a permanent DH. There is no reason to put Andujar in LF over Tauchman or even Gardner with the way Andujar has looked. He has no defensive capabilities and without any offensive potential he’s practically useless. Kid had a good rookie season but sometimes that can be a flash in the pan.
I think it’s a matter of getting him of regular reps with Tauchman playing well. Torres, Sanchez, and Gardener are all struggling and they’re not going anywhere.
Cash him in before he becomes the next Frazier or Bird.
Andujar’s poor defensive skills will lessen his trade value. His bat will not overcome his defensive liabilities and that will concern many teams who do not want to tie up their DH position with one player. Andujar will have to show that he can field a position or Yankee fans will be disappointed with their return in any trade.
Paxton doesn’t deserve to play baseball
*Happ
If that $17 million option is picked up for next season just look for the closest window.
No way they let that option vest, Happ is a disaster.
He needs a change of scenery… would be a nice fit for a team looking for a DH option.
His value is real low right now
I dont understand why people who thinking sending someone down who is struggling is going to set them back. If they are struggling at the big league level they need more reps. They wont get it at the big league level so they get to play every day and get the reps
And just let him play regularly at the alternate site while working on his fielding in the OF. Right now they’re trying to shoehorn him into playing time when there are better options. He’ll be back.
I remember some Yankee ‘fan’ saying that the Blue Jays would trade Pearson for Andujar, but wouldnt because they were low on pitching, and that was the only reason why.
While I don’t think Andujar is done. I think he could bounce back, I just found that funny.
That is funny. I mean, talent and control differences aside, what does TOR need with another IF/DH type?
Whoever it was said that Andujar was apparently a proven comodity unlike Pearson and that the Jays needed pitching so they wouldn’t do it. It was a very ignorant Yankee fan response.
One year does not make someone a proven commodity and Andujar completely proves that. He had a good rookie year and has been a shell ever since.
I remember this… what a joke it was.
I wouldn’t say a shell. He had a few at bats, a season ending injury, then 14 at bats. That’s too small a sample size. There’s nowhere for him to play, and he’ll get time at the alt site…
Sooo he had a good year and then didn’t have good years for multiple years in a row due to different reasons…
And he’s not a shell of himself? His numbers are a shell of what they were. His health is a shell of what it was his rookie year.
Call a spade a spade. As of right now, he is a shell of his former self. Doesn’t mean it won’t come back. Just means it is what it is right now.
Yeah, that was a ridiculous statement. Obviously Andujar isn’t worthless, but his value has dropped a ton lately.
I would love to see Andujarvsuited up in Blue and Orange. However I remembered a few years back people were talking about Andujar for Degrom lol. Now there were also rumors two years ago that it was gonna be Torres,Andujar,Frazier for Degrom which in some ways you wonder what might have been hum lol.
Yeah, these guys that are getting paid to be managers and know a lot about baseball need to be listening to us that don’t get paid to manage baseball. It’s almost like these managers feel like it’s a job.
I would have agreed with you three years ago, before I saw my World Series dream Dave Roberts-ed out of existence…
Hope the leash is getting shorter on Happ as well, can’t let that option vest for next season and Schmidt looked really good in both ST and Summer camp
Excellent point. All bets are off in the playoffs. Braves last year for me. But I feel like these managers are puppets of the GM/Front office so I’m believing it’s more of team strategy/failure.
2018 ROY runner Up
Andujar and Frazier definitely need to move on with Tauchman and Ushela playing so well. Problem is no one will give them anything of value. Probably need to give them away so a few buckets of balls just in case they have a shortage
that’s a terrible waste of an asset
Should have traded him after his rookie season
You would think the Yankees would have seen this coming. You know, because they are superior to everyone else and can forsee the future. Just like when they got Tauchmann, Urshela and Voit.
Idiots. This year is meaningless for all but the OCD yankees who desperately cling to the notion that they must do everything in their greedy little power to win. Any other sensible team would gladly let this guy play through his troubles. What a joke.
This is true if your the Mariners or Marlins who don’t ever seems to care about winning.
Marlins have been doing well so far. Mariners, I see your point.
so @whyhayzee; if a team does everything in its power to win makes them greedy? I suppose the team you root for is NOT trying to win or am I misunderstanding your comment? Maybe your team can trade for Andujar and let him play through his troubles or would that too be a joke?
But why keep him on the roster? Urshela has been crushing the ball, and so has Voit. You could keep trying him out in left field but they have superior defenders in Gardner and Tauchman, and Stanton who could occasionally play there too, and all are having way better seasons with the bat. While they haven’t done great, both Ford and Wade are doing better than Andujar. When you have to cut down on rosters, the guy with options and isn’t doing good is the one who’s going to get the axe.
Also, so you just want all the teams to roll over because it’s a 60 game season? Sorry, but teams that are in a position to compete are going to play their good players. Why don’t the Dodgers play Austin Barnes everyday even though he has a -17 OPS+, or why aren’t the White Sox playing Nicky Delominic every day either?
Lmao. Yeah how dare they actively manage their team? Who do they think they are, front office employees for a billion+ dollar baseball franchise or something?! It’s almost like they want to compete or something, what a bunch of fools!
My point is simply that this year is meaningless. You should not be putting your players under pressure to perform with inadequate preparation risking injury, you should be patient with players you believe in, and it does not matter what your record is this year. Why? Because this year is meaningless. Further, it could end at any time. Again, it’s meaningless.
It may be meaningless to you but it is not meaningless to the best teams who have a chance at a championship no matter how many asterisks will be put next to it.
He’s not going home either… he’s going to an alt site where he can take 75 at bats a day off real pitching to get his swing right. He can’t do that with the NYY
That’s what you gain…
What’s the deal with the kid… only 14 AB’s? I haven’t followed the Yankees closely this year… he still hurt, someone else killing it?
Urshela is playing great. 333/421/667 and his defense is awesome. No way to get in at third.
Amdujar’s play in left has been a work in progress but his opportunities are limited with the outfield log jam. Add in the short season and there’s just no way to let him play through his early struggles at the plate.
No worries Andujar like Frazier will be back later for the playoffs. They’ve been phased out now for better defenders at their positions. Nobody was ever coming to see them play defense and winning gold gloves. Their strength is their bats. One spot opens up for 1 when Gardy’s option isn’t picked up next season. One likely stays and one is likely to be traded for a starter like Matthew Boyd or Robbie Ray at the deadline.
@bravesfan- If you need a 3rd basemen Andujar could really help the Braves with a great bat. His defense is improving. What could you trade to the Yankees for him? Yanks would need 3 prospects for him with at least one being a top prospect.
Lol doubt the Braves want him and no way you are getting that for him.
Lol doubt the Braves want him and no way you are getting that for him.
@Red Eye- Well if the Braves want him they could definitely trade for Andujar. They are loaded with prospects and could definitely give the Yankees one top prospect for him. His bat is definitely worth it.
Andujar can not play third base. The Yankees are not getting a top prospect for him. let alone 3 prospects..
@hockeyjohn- I think we can all agree that everyone is watching Andujar to hit the baseball. That’s his strength, but his defense is somewhat approving at 3rd. Agreed he will never be a gold glover at 3rd base. He isn’t Adrian Beltre with the glove but definitely can be him with the bat.
Somewhat approving? He was statistically the worst defensive 3B in baseball in 2018. What is somewhat approving about that? He can not play 3B. He is showing that he can not play OF. I doubt that he could play a passable 1B. He is a DH and that lessens his value. I’m sorry, but you and some other Yankee fans are overvaluing Andujar and Frazier.
And the reason he’s being demoted???? Because he hasn’t hit.
Yankees probably could have gotten Folty for him.
@BobGibsonFan- Nah not wanting Faulty… I mean Folty. Pass, No thnx
@bravesfan- Urshela is looking like a quiet star everyday he is playing. Andujar is just being phased out because his defense Is not like Gio’s and there is no room for him right now on the roster. He’ll likely be back for the playoffs
@Yank4Life. I don’t think the Braves value Andujar in such a way that they would trade 3 prospect and one of them a top 100 guy. You can say his defense has improved, but his recent struggles, his struggles last year and now being option doesn’t scream confidence.
No matter how much he has improved, you even at least agree that he is there to hit baseballs. That might be why fans go to see him, even though he is getting further removed from the productive introduction year, but that’s not why GM’s bring players over.
His stock is down. No GM is going to pay a premium price until Andujar demonstrates he can do it again and isn’t such loss in the field.
Andujar is being phased out because of his defense, yet you expect other teams to ignore that point and pay top dollar and more for him. You can not have it both ways. If his defense is a concern for the Yankees, it would most certainly be a concern for any team looking at acquiring him.
Shame, he was such a good rookie.
14 ABs is not sufficient to evaluate a player.
That is true. He needs an opportunity to showcase his abilities and improvements. But it’s difficult when you don’t have room in the outfield and a productive 3B already.
I heard that Miguel Andujar will take Gio Urshela’s spot when Gio comes back down to earth? Still waiting for that to happen.
Gio defense will keep him in the lineup everyday
@mlbnyyfan- It certainly will. Gold glove defense and he can hit the ball also. Yanks should start thinking about an extension for this young man already. He’s that good. I could live with him at 3rd for another 5 or 6 years.
@Yank4life I agree with you 100 %. I wish Cashman was great at finding some pitchers the way he’s found guys like Urshela,Voit,Tauchman.
Gold Glove defense? Who? Urshela was ranked near the bottom for defense 3B. He was 26th out of 32 for players with 500 innings in 2019.
Urshela is gold glove defense when compared to Andujar. That is how bad Andujar’s defense was in 2018, which was worst in the majors.
BobGibsonFan- You gotta see Urshela playing the hot corner sometimes he’s top notch. He’s no Arenado or Machado but he’s close defensively
Please baseball gods let the Mets swing a trade though I know its wishful thinking.
According to Yankees fans we would need to give up DeGrom and Alonso
I’d give up pete as I truly believe the man is over hyped and will never come close to what he did last year, the league knows how to pitch him to now. But it would not be 1 for 1 yanks have to add a little more as Andujar is coming off injury.
Insane comment of the day award!
Unless that “little more” coming from the Yankees is their #1 prospect, or Judge, any trade of Andujar for Alonso would be laughed at so hard by BV he’d drop the phone and leave Cashman on the line.
Not mentioned in the article but also important. If Andujar stays down for two weeks, wthe Yankees get an extra year of control. Couple in he’s trying to learn LF and 1B so those are very good reasons for him to be sent down considering he has 14 ABs all season.
Would a deal with the Tigers work where Matthew Boyd, Joe Jimenez, & Spencer Turnbull get sent to New York for Clint Frazier & Miguel Andujar?
@silentbob2001- I definitely think that trade offer seems pretty fair. If the Tigers call the Yankees about a trade like that the I could see the Bombers moving either Frazier or Andujar, Michael King, Luis Cessa or Jonathan Holder, Tyler Wade or Thairo Estrada for Matthew Boyd or Dennis Norris, Joe Jimenez, and either Spencer Turnbull or Michael Fulmer. How would you feel about that trade? Yanks would prefer to move either Andujar or Frazier. But not both players.
Boyd has more value that Andujar and Frazier. The Yankees should have to add to the deal, not Detroit. There is a site called Baseball Trade Values that gives a numerical value to a player based on talent, their contract, years of control, etc. According to their criteria here are the values for the players mentioned above: Boyd 30.9 Turnbull14.5 Jimenez 9.8 Fulmer 2.3
Norris 2.4 Andujar 7.9 and Frazier 7.4.
So according to this site, Andujar and Frazier should get just Turnbull. The Yankees would have to add more to get Boyd. Before Yankee fans scream and yell at me, I don’t always agree on some of their values, but the majority of the trades made since last June when the site debuted worked and matched fair value to their system.
hockeyjohn- You probably are right about Matthew Boyd having more value then Andujar or Frazier. But that definitely wouldn’t stop the Tigers from moving him for either player. Mike Minor might be a better pitcher then Boyd. But if the Yankees could get Joe Jimenez and Michael Fulmer in a package that’s definitely the way they would go. Frazier or Andujar will likely be moved on or by August 31st. My guess one stays with Brett Gardner’s option not likely to be picked up next season.
What I said is Boyd has more value that Andujar AND Frazier.
hockeyjohn- that being said if Frazier or Andujar is offered for Boyd with another prospect then Boyd is a Yankee. I would take Boyd over Robbie Ray or Mike Minor. Yankees are a World Series team this year if they trade Frazier or Andujar or not. Not worried at all. Like I said one will be back next season to take Gardy’s spot. You’ll see.
Wait, are you saying I’m UNDERvaluing a Tigers player in a trade? Because that is the very first time that’s ever happened for me.
No, It is more that you are tremendously overvaluing Andujar and Frazier. Two players with obvious defensive shortcomings don’t carry as much value as they are unable to play a defensive position. Starting pitching is harder to acquire so that drives up the price even on an average at best starter like Boyd.
Some added values for players mentioned above: King 4.1 Cessa 0.2
Holder 0.2 Wade 0.5 and Estrada 1.0
Just go ahead and say it… ” Rookie of the Year runner up Andujar is unplayable in the field.”
The Rangers are 3-8, and right now Kumar Rocker is looking like a better possibility than getting into a 16 team postseason. We could either trade our good pieces this deadline, and the trade Gallo this off-season, or go ahead and fix our weaknesses that we have before it’s too late. Starting pitching is fine, actually, it’s very highly ranked in baseball right now. The issue is the bullpen, and offense (definatley bullpen). Go get a guy like Andujar, maybe Mychal Givens, and a few other depth guys. TBH, I do not trust this lineup very much at all. Besides Gallo, Choo, Solak, and Calhoun, I do not trust this offense to win games. We need another guy to pair with Gallo, like Arenado, but we have Jung in the system, and we are waiting for our young guys to come up. All in all, it’s frustrating to be in the middle. And if I’m being honest, I’m not against trading Lynn while he’s hot. But Andujar would be a nice get too.
Rangers29- I can’t bring Lance Lynn back to NY. He’s got great stuff. He just can’t pitch here. If Mike Minor wasn’t mentioned in a deal for Miguel Andujar I would hang up the phone. But I definitely feel Andujar would help the Rangers without a doubt in my mind. He has a bat like Adrian Beltre. Not saying he’s better though. lol Andujar is not winning a gold glove for you anytime soon though.
This is a shame. Both these guys have value but no place to play. Their trade values are probably past their peak as well, and yet once again we need starting pitching….. Cash will either overvalue them and hold onto them or dumpster fire trade em for more relief help.