Now that the playoffs are right around the corner for the Yankees, they need to start thinking about some crucial lineup decisions.
With September right around the corner, the Yankees look to get some of their star power back in time for a World Series run. Luke Voit has been cleared and is scheduled to come back this Friday from a lengthy IL stint. Who knows if he will be 100%, but his bat has been sorely missed in the middle of the order. Mike Ford is the likely candidate to be sent down, and he has done a superb job of filling in. It took him a couple games to get going, but he has proven to be a major league player and he might pop up in trade rumors in the offseason. Getting Voit back will create a little more clarity in a lineup that should continue to keep on pouring in runs.
While Encarnacion and Stanton have been rumored to be back in September, their expectations seem to be less of Voit’s. Stanton has played a total of nine games this year and has gotten very seldom playing time. Being injured the majority of the year has allowed Stanton to not get any rhythm at the plate and we might seem him struggle over the course of his time back in the big leagues. With a fractured wrist for Edwin Encarnacion, we can’t expect a slow start as well, but his bat and experience in a postseason lineup is much needed if the Yankees want to claim 28.
The forgotten man in Aaron Hicks is scheduled to possibly come back in September as well. With the ball club being cautious of Hicks’ flexor strain in his elbow, he might be the furthest away to play for the major league club. Signing Hick’s to this extension seemed like a smart move in the offseason, but the reality is that he misses too much time is starting to make sense. Hicks needs to stay healthy for this ball club to advance, he was just starting to play well offensively. He would help out this lineup tremendously.
That being said, here is the postseason lineup the Yankees should trot out:
- DJ LeMahieu 1B
- Aaron Judge RF
- Did Gregorius SS
- Gleyber Torres 2B
- Gary Sanchez C
- Giancarlo Stanton LF
- Gio Urshela 3B
- Luke Voit/Edwin Encarnacion DH
- Aaron Hicks CF
Leaving Gardner out is tough, and platooning Voit and Encarnacion has to be the way to go. Stanton is a top player in the MLB when healthy and is making a ton of money to be left out of the lineup.