The 5 Options The Yankees Have For Left Field

Left field hasn’t been a strong position for the New York Yankees recently. Aaron Hicks was primarily responsible for it last season, and the reception he often received from the fans tells you what people thought of that. The man has seemingly struggled to live up to his success following his seven-year extension contract in 2019, leaving people worried about the team’s chances.

Of course, there is still hope that the Hicks people remember from past games will return and bring the strength that left field needs. However, there’s no guarantee of this. Luckily, there are other options at the Yankees’ disposal. According to sources within the team and the league, there are five options being considered for replacing Hicks either now or in the near future.

1. Signing Jurickson Profar would give the Yankees one of the best outfielders around

Signing a player who’s just had the best season of their career is often a winning move. For that reason, the Yankees may turn to Jurickson Profar to resolve their current issues with left field. He hit .243/.331/.391 in the last season with 15 home runs, 58 RBIs, and 36 doubles. Out of all the free-agent outfielders around, he’s seemingly the best of the bunch. Plus, he has experience in almost every position on the field, which should only work in the team’s favor. The problem is that the Yankees reportedly want to stay below the $293 million threshold, and signing Profar would push them over this. The man could be worth it, though.

2. Trading for Bryan Reynolds could bring a strong contender to the Yankees

Trading is how teams land some of their best players, and this option is definitely one that the Yankees are apparently considering. Someone they reportedly have their eye on is Bryan Reynolds of the Pittsburgh Pirates. The problem is that the two teams have been unable to reach an agreement on trading terms. The Pirates allegedly want several top prospects from the Yankees, which they’re seemingly reluctant to give. However, with Reynolds being an incredibly strong player over the last two years, his acquisition could make a big difference. Max Kepler of the Minnesota Twins is reportedly another player in the running for a trade. However, his recent performance hasn’t been as strong as it was in 2019.

3. Giancarlo Stanton could come in helpful at defender-friendly ballparks

Not all of the options at the Yankees’ disposal are permanent or long-term solutions. One that would only really be of benefit at the occasional game involves Giancarlo Stanton. We haven’t seen Stanton play in the left field much over the last five years, primarily because of his injury troubles. These problems likely mean that his days of playing this position full-time are over. However, that doesn’t mean he can’t still help out when needed. He’s admitted to having a better rhythm when he’s on the defense, meaning he can still be of use in left field. However, this will likely only be in places like Houston or Boston, where the ballparks are more defender-friendly.

4. Estevan Florial is potentially a risky choice to give an opportunity to

Someone else who’s struggled with injury recently is Estevan Florial. Across three seasons, he’s apparently only managed 29 major games, and his performance in them often left something to be desired. That doesn’t mean he’s not a competent player, though. In 2022, he did a decent job in Triple-A, hitting .283/.368/.481 for the Yankees. However, this is no guarantee that he’ll come through in left field when the team needs him to. With Florial now out of minor league options, it’s possible he might end up being traded out for someone like Bryan Reynolds. There’s a chance that the Yankees may give him a shot, though, before swapping him out for someone else.

5. Oswaldo Cabrera’s good impression in 2022 may work in his favor this year

It’s clear that plenty of the fans aren’t that big on Hicks right now. Who they have gotten behind, though, is Oswaldo Cabrera. He quickly became a favorite last year, both for his good attitude and his ability on the field. Cabrera is evidently a man that’s passionate about what he does, given that he trained to play in the outfield during his free time. Although he was primarily an infielder in the minors, his extracurricular activities made it clear that he is versatile, talented, and highly determined. Having already established some success in 2022, this could be the year where he really makes his mark. It’s no wonder the team is allegedly considering letting him take over as a starter.

It’s apparent that the Yankees have plenty of options when it comes to resolving their problems with left field. It’s hard to say what they’ll go for, given the potential obstacles that stand in the way of their biggest acquisitions. Whatever they end up doing, though, here’s hoping that it fixes the issues they’ve been facing for far too long.