Yankees Midseason Report Card: Outfielders

As the New York Yankees reach the midpoint of the 2016 season, Yanks Go Yard is taking a look at how each player on the roster has performed in the first half. Here are the midseason grades for the team’s outfielders.

The Yankees outfield has fared surprisingly well in the first half of 2016 considering the New York lineup’s poor overall performance. The first three months of the season has seen a significant bounceback from de-facto Yankees star Jacoby Ellsbury, an All Star nod for Carlos Beltran in what will likely be his final season in pinstripes, and streaky but acceptable production from Brett Gardner.

With two of these three names popping up in early trade discussions, it’s possible that the team’s outfield picture could look very different on August 1st. Fourth outfielder Aaron Hicks has struggled in a part-time role up to this point, but the Yankees have Ben Gamel, Rob Refsnyder, and Aaron Judge all looking ready for big league work with Triple-A Scranton.

If anything, the success of Beltran, Ellsbury, and Gardner could be exactly what leads to the upcoming shakeup, as they have significantly increased their value as trade chips, especially Beltran. For the time being, however, these three are at the heart of the Yankees offense, and any chances New York has of contending this year literally starts with them.

Next: Carlos Beltran