the Hits Keep on Coming

With the trade deadline looming, the New York Yankees knew they had to make a splash to bolster their struggling offense. So last Wednesday, they agreed to a trade with the Kansas City Royals, sending three pitching prospects in return for All-Star outfielder Andrew Benintendi. His addition boosts a team that has failed to hit with runners in scoring position as of late.

The offensive struggles stem from the bottom of the order, which usually features a combination of Josh Donaldson, Aaron Hicks, Joey Gallo, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Kyle Higashioka, and Jose Trevino batting a combined .225.

But, with Benintendi’s bat, that all changes.

He brings an eye-popping .320 average to the Bronx, along with a .785 OPS and the best on-base percentage of his career to this point. And despite bright spots like Kiner-Falefa, who is in the middle of a red-hot hitting streak, and All-Star catcher Trevino, the bottom of the order has a below-average OPS of .663, well under the league-average .709 mark. The addition of Benintendi raises that number and places Joey Gallo as the odd-man out of the lineup.

Also, the lefty-swinging Benintendi helps balance the heavily right-handed lineup. He is no stranger to Yankee Stadium as well, being a former member of the 2018 World Series champion Boston Red Sox. In his playoff career, he has batted .282 in three ALDS appearances and .333 in the World Series. He comes at a great time for the team, who looks to right the ship of the slumping lineup as they prepare for a four-game homestand against the Royals.

Unfortunately, the downside of acquiring the outfielder is that he is only a rental. The 28-year-old is set to hit the open market after the season ends but can hopefully make a deep postseason run in New York before that time comes. When it is time for free agency, though, if Benintendi performs as advertised, there is a good chance the team offers him a deal to stay.

The other small obstacle is his vaccination status issue. He cannot play against the Toronto Blue Jays in the last trip into Canada if he is not vaccinated by then. However, despite that initial concern over his vaccination status, it seems the front office was not deterred by it, and it may not matter by that point. With the division still firmly in grasp due to a 12.5-game lead on the Jays, the Bronx Bombers are looking at the bigger picture heading into the season’s final months.

Boys of Late Summer

As the calendar turns to August, the Yankees do not seem like they are done adding pieces to the championship puzzle. With Benintendi joining the team, the hitting significantly improves, and they are hoping to get Giancarlo Stanton back from a short IL stint, adding the All-Star back into the mix. They could address the injuries and ineffectiveness of the pitching staff at the deadline, which could really help them lock in late in the season. One thing is for sure, Benintendi’s bat is only the beginning for a team chasing their 28th ring.