Bomber Bites With Jumping Joe—Yankees Banking on Mark Teixeira’s Rebound

Mark Teixeira will be the Yankees everyday first baseman in 2015.  No one should be surprised by that.  After all, Teixeira’s contract still has two years left and he has a no trade clause in it.  Not that he needs a no trade clause, the market for aging and declining first baseman making in excess of $20 million a year is pretty slim at best.

Thus the Yankees are left with a 35 year old former All Star at first base who managed to play in just 123 games in 2014 after only 17 games the year before.  The Yankees are banking on Teixeira finally be past the severe wrist injury he suffered during the 2013 World Baseball Classic.  He is one on of the big keys for a revived Yankees offense in 2015.

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“I think Mark Teixeira is definitely an everyday first baseman…I think he’ll prove that this year. I think last year is something he felt will be part of the process and he feels it won’t be part of this year’s process. In terms of his recovery and rehab, last year was expected for him. And that won’t be expected going forward.” –Brian Cashman on Mark Teixeira in 2015 (h/t Brenden Kuty, www.nj.com)

Teixeira endured one of the worst seasons of his career at the plate in 2015.  He posted career lows in batting average (.216) and on-base percentage (.313).  He did have 22 home runs and 62 RBI, the latter being third most on a woeful offensive team.  If the Yankees are going to be a contender in 2015, they will need Teixeira to revert back to his career averages be the .260 hitter with 30 home runs and 100 RBIs he has been throughout his career.

If Teixeira can’t bounce back, along with other Yankees like Carlos Beltran and Alex Rodriguez, the Yankees are in for a long and sorry season.  The Yankees have thus far not been able to do much to upgrade the offense for next season and will be relying heavily on those three aging former stars.  Each one will need to perform close to expectations or October baseball will not be played in the Bronx for a third consecutive year.