The Yankees are the definition of red-hot right now, but things may seem to be getting even better with the return of first baseman Greg Bird coming sooner than later.
After learning in March that the poised first baseman Greg Bird would need ankle surgery and miss the start of the 2018 season it devastated many who had high hopes for the power slugging infielder.
With the New York Yankees winning 17 of their last 19 games winning crucial series against teams like the Los Angeles Angels, Houston Astros, Minnesota Twins, and division rivals Boston Red Sox it seems like this team can do no wrong and the return of Bird could make this team even better.
Brian Cashman and management were counting on Bird staying healthy and being put right in between the three-headed beast of Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, and Gary Sanchez to mix it up and throw a lefty to keep pitchers off balance and when he went down it hurt the team a lot.
Despite starting the season hot, Tyler Austin has cooled down and Neil Walker was brutal before coming around big time this past week. A Bird return will only help the Yankees lineup and it will be a major upgrade for the Bronx Bombers.
The first baseman has always been highly regarded by scouts around the league and is looked at as a guy who can easily hit 30 or more homers in a season if he can just stay on the field, and adding that to an already deep and hot lineup is bad news for all opposing pitchers.
Another reason Bird will play a crucial role when returning to the lineup is the Yankees lack of lefties in the lineup. With Brett Gardner struggling mightily to begin the year, it is almost as if the only lefty in the lineup at the moment is Didi Gregorius who has had an amazing season despite being in the midst of a slump. Bird has always hit well against lefties sporting a .257 batting average lifetime and five home runs.
With number 33 set to return in a week or two as long as his rehab assignment goes to plan, the Yankees lineup will be receiving a major upgrade to an already dangerous lineup, look out Major League Baseball the Bronx bombers are only getting started and their dangerous first baseman is only going to make them better.