Can the Yankees avoid the missteps of the Red Sox and Mariners?

Will Bird Fly in 2018?

First has to be first. Just as the Red Sox have had to deal with a black hole at third, and Seattle one in center, the Yankees could run into the same situation at first base.

Greg Bird is an All-World hitter and a capable defender; playing roughly a third of the season at first (46 games), Bird posted a perfect 1.000 FP.

But he is also injury prone. And if he goes down, the Yankees will try to use rookie Billy McKinney. That’s having a player in reserve, but not a real backup to the position.

There is always the chance that Torres does not work out. No one is a sure thing until we see it on the field. And the same is even more true for Miguel Andujar. The Yankees could overcome one of them failing, but not all three.

The entire infield could blow up next season, except Didi, which would end any dreams of playoff runs.

He’s Not Sevvy; He’s My Brother

The same is true to a lesser extent for Severino. It’s very easy to proclaim Luis will go on to a Hall of Fame career, but that’s what Boston once said about Buchholz. He plays for the Phillies now.

Even the signing of Giancarlo carries risks in roster construction. If neither he nor Judge can play left, the Yanks will have acquired a very expensive DH-only player. That would add his contract to the worst of any of the three teams, that of Jacoby Ellsbury.

Ells is signed through 2020 for $21 million per. And as it stands now, with Clint Frazier still in the organization, Jacoby is the Yankees sixth outfielder: Judge, Stanton, Hicks, Gardner, Frazier and then Ellsbury. That’s a logjam in both players and money.