he bad news started early for the New York Yankees this season, as they attempt to get back to the World Series for the 42nd time in their history which dates back to 1903.
Before spring training was out they lost 2023 Cy Young winner Gerrit Cole to Tommy John surgery, 2024 Rookie of the year Luis Gil to a lat strain that kept him out until August 3, and active career home run leader (439) Giancarlo Stanton with tendinitis in both elbows.
Stanton finally debuted on June 16. But the Bronx Bombers have since seen another starter, 2017 first-round draft pick Clarke Schmidt, also end his season with Tommy John, and even endured a 10-day stay on the injured list for two-time MVP — and leading candidate this year — Aaron Judge.
Yankees June Swoon Continues Into August
Maybe it should be no surprise, then, that after a solid start that saw them at 35-22 and leading the American League East by 5 1/2 games at the end of May, the Yankees went into a swoon and haven’t snapped out of it since.
Enduring two six-game losing streaks and a five game skid along the way, manager Aaron Boone’s club has managed just a 26-32 mark since the calendar turned to June. That has left them in third place, 6 1/2 games behind the Toronto Blue Jays and clinging to the third and final Wild Card spot by 1 1/2 games over the Cleveland Guardians.
Cashman Deals Top-20 Prospect For Utility Player
The Yankees and longtime general manager tried to turn things around with a series of trade deadline acquisitions, mainly at the back end of the bullpen.
But New York also traded its No. 18 prospect, 22-year-old Single-A righty Gage Ziehl to the Chicago White Sox — where the 2024 fourth-round draft pick immediately jumped to Chicago’s No. 14 position — for a super-utility player who specializes in mashing left-handed pitching, Austin Slater.
At the time, Boone told reporters that he was “really excited” to obtain Slater.
“We’re getting more roster flexibility, complementary guys. He’s swinging the bat really well right now,” Boone said after the Yankees added their third position player in the week leading up to the deadline, third baseman Ryan McMahon from the Colorado Rockies and Washington Nationals infielder/outfielder Amed Rosario being the other two.
Slater Hits the Injured List Almost Right Away
Now, just eight days after the deadline, Boone announced that Slater will be out of action for between four and six weeks.
In his second start since joining the Yankees, Slater on Monday was forced to exit a game against the Texas Rangers with what the team described as “left hamstring tightness”. The 32-year-old playing for his fifth team in nine seasons was immediately sent to the injured list.
But any hopes for a quick return for the 2014 San Francisco Giants eighth-round draft pick evaporated on Friday when Boone announced the four-to-six week timeline for Slater.
Slater, playing on a one-year, $1.75 million contract, is eligible to become a free agent after this season. Even if he returns on the early end of the four-week projection, he would not be back until September 5, when the Yankees will have only 22 games remaining to play in the regular season.
He then hits free agency, meaning that the Yankees will have wasted a pretty good pitching prospect for next to nothing.
