Yankees: Aaron Boone says Miguel Andujar should be healthy by spring training

Miguel Andujar underwent season-ending labrum surgery last May, but he should be healthy by spring training according to Yankees manager Aaron Boone.

2020 is going to be a huge year for Miguel Andujar. Following a terrific 2018 campaign where he finished second for AL Rookie of the Year, the 2019 season was a lost year for Miggy due to injury. He got injured just three games into the Yankees season and ended up only playing in 12 games. In 47 at-bats he really struggled, hitting .128 with 1 RBI.

In his absence, Gio Urshela emerged as an All-Star caliber third basemen and will likely enter spring training as the favorite to win the starting job at the hot corner. Gio has earned that right but he’ll still have to prove that last season was no fluke. If he falters and Andujar picks up where he left in 2018 he could lose his starting job very quickly.

Regardless of his role next season Miggy should make a big impact for the Yanks as long as he’s healthy and they can find a way to get his bat into the lineup consistently. At Thursday’s Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium, Aaron Boone said Andujar has been doing well with his workouts this offseason and there have been no issues reported concerning his health.

Per Dan Martin of the New York Post:

“His shoulder has been feeling good and there’s no reason to believe he won’t be full bore for spring training,” Boone said.

That’s great news because the Yankees are going to need Miggy to bounce back in a big way next season. With Didi Gregorius now gone and Aaron Hicks expected to be out until June at the earliest recovering from TJ surgery it’s vital that Miggy steps up and produces at a high level offensively.

We’ll have to wait and see how they fit him into the starting lineup but assuming Gio is the starting third basemen one way to get Miggy at-bats would be at DH. With Hicks sidelined the Yanks are going to need Giancarlo Stanton to stay healthy and play a lot of left field next season. If he can do so that would allow Miggy to be the primary DH until Hicks returns.

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There’s also the possibility that Miggy tries out a new position or two this spring. The Yankees should definitely test him out at first base but they should also consider letting him get some reps in left field if they think he’s athletic enough to do so. If Miggy can become a more versatile player they’ll have no issues finding ways to get his bat in the lineup which would only benefit the offense and the team as a whole.

Now I know there have been trade rumors surrounding Andujar all offseason, but I’m not putting much stock into them. The Yankees are reportedly willing to include him as the centerpiece of a package for All-Star reliever Josh Hader, but it’s going to take a lot more than him to get a deal done and there’s no need to empty the farm to acquire a player they don’t really need.

They’d also be selling low on Miggy because his value took a big hit after missing the majority of last season. I’m completely against dealing him, but if they’re considering it they should at least wait until he rebuilds his value before they put him back on the trading block.