Will The Yankees Have To Trade For An Outfielder Too?
By Jason Evans
Apr 20, 2014; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; New York Yankees right fielder Carlos Beltran (36) reacts against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
With Memorial Day a week away, it marks the first real checkpoint in the baseball season. It’s no secret the Yankees will be shopping for a starting pitcher (or two). With CC Sabathia on the shelf until at least July, Ivan Nova gone for the year and other pitchers struggling a bit, the Yankees will need one. What about in the outfield?
Well, Carlos Beltran will be visiting Dr. James Andrews tomorrow about the bone spur in his elbow according to reports. If Beltran needs surgery, he will be out six to eight weeks. That puts him in the same time table to come back that CC is in. Will the Yankees need an additional bat?
In right field/DH, they can go with Alfonso Soriano, Ichiro Suzuki and Zoilo Almonte. They all have questions to them. Ichiro is hitting a robust .356 so far, but it’s in a part-time role. He’s also 40 years old. Can he really be counted on? Soriano caught fire when he got traded to the Yankees last year, but so far has just a .248/.276/.431 line with six homers and 18 RBI. He’s also 38 years old and doesn’t exactly look very comfortable playing right field. The question with Almonte is that he’s unproven. He’s 24 and has had some good at-bats in his limited time in the big leagues.
Chicago Cubs outfielder Nate Schierholtz could be a target, even with his struggles this year. Jose Tabata of Pittsburgh may be out there, but I don’t know if the Yanks would want their former farmhand.
Tomorrow’s report on Beltran will be important for this season. If it’s bad, Brian Cashman’s shopping list may grow.