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Yankees: 3 obvious changes NYY must make after last-place start

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 16: Nick Nelson #79 of the New York Yankees reacts in the first inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium on April 16, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 16: Nick Nelson #79 of the New York Yankees reacts in the first inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium on April 16, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
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Yankees
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – AUGUST 16: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) Mike Ford #72 and Gleyber Torres #25 of the New York Yankees in action against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium on August 16, 2020 in New York City. The Yankees defeated the Red Sox 4-2. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

2. Replace Jay Bruce With an Actual First Baseman

Veteran Jay Bruce did his very best to fit in with the Yankees and provide them a veteran spark at a position he doesn’t even play.

Bruce retired on Sunday, knowing he’d drained his tank. While his effort was valiant, it wasn’t a fit. Now that he’s gone, though, the Yankees would be served well by replacing him with an actual first baseman instead of DJ LeMahieu.

We’d all like Luke Voit back as soon as humanly possible, but until that day, shoving LeMahieu at a position he neither excels at nor wants to play appears to be sapping some of his offensive effectiveness. It also puts Rougned Odor in the lineup, who — electric moments aside — is one of the game’s very worst players.

Promote Mike Ford as soon as the COVID-19 IL rules allow you to. Don’t distract yourselves with a Tyler Wade promotion, which…seems to be something the Yankees are considering.

Is Ford the savior? Likely not. But he’ll play serviceable defense, hit for more power than Bruce, and will only need to keep the seat warm for Voit instead of freezing the seat and shattering it with a hammer as the Yanks’ other fill-ins have done.

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