Readers' Thread: Fix One...
- SSTN Admin
- May 17
- 1 min read
May 17, 2026
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In an article yesterday, our Editor-in-Chief noted how weak the Yankees are up the middle.
How should the Yankees address just one of these positions?
Is there a catcher they can trade for to replace Austin Wells? Is J.C Escarra a better option to start?
Can a player be acquired to play shortstop? (George Lombard Jr. is not ready. He's hitting .140 in Triple-A.) Will Jose Caballero be the starter when he returns?
Should Trent Grisham be playing centerfield?
Will Jazz Chisholm come around or does he have trade value? Is his recent hot streak for real or a fluke like the popped up bunt that fell for a hit last night?
If you were the General Manager, how would you improve just one of those positions?
I saw Jane Leavy yesterday on a panel at the Gold Coast Book Fair in Oyster Bay. She said a lot of enlightening things about the way analytics has been used is killing baseball. Check out her book "Make Me the Commissioner".
I understand the instructions are to make one move. I will conclude with that.
Catcher- none of the RH hitting catchers we traded away are setting the world on fire, at least not yet or currently. It still seems silly from a roster building perspective to trade away literally every RH hitting catcher
that said the platoon scenario is clearly not perfect, but probably something that can be lived with. so that is NOT the reason for this move.
I assume Wells has more trade value than Escarra, so I am looking to trade Wells. I would trade him if and only IF, I can get a player who CLEARLY improves the team in some way
I do have a…
You can't be a winner, when half your hitters are well under .200 and can't hit. Grisham was a mistake -- I didn't think so when he took the offer. Volpe, McM, Wells have proven they can't hit. They need to be replaced/dumped. We probably won't see this till next year.
Chisholm aint the problem that he has appeared to be early in this season. he has been a a good offensive contributor to the team since it acquired his services. he will become a problem as the end of the season approaches and the player hasn't performed to expectations or, more likely, his offense improves and the organization is unable to sign he player to a new contract.
the organization has a plan in place to replace Grisham and not only one possible replacement player in place, but also a second candidate.
Wells weak offense is not a serious problem. it's a minor problem and can be accommodated as long as he's performing well in execution of his primary responsibility.
The shortstop should be Jose Caballero when he returns. That isn't, necessarily, a fix.
If Luis Arraez is available, get him to play second. Trade Jazz. The Yankees aren't resigning him anyway. Chisholm's lifetime On Base Percentage is .314. Arraez's lifetime batting average is .317 - the highest in the big leagues today.
This gives the Yankees a lead-off hitter - something they have not had for a few seasons now.
Arraez is my one fix.