The Yankees like what they’re seeing from Aaron Decide in proper discipline.
Decide’s arm power and throwing are “probably a lot better” proper now than they have been two or three weeks in the past, supervisor Aaron Boone stated.
“I think it’s been steady improvement, but tough to say exactly,” Boone stated Saturday. “I think it’s going well.”
It’s been just a little over two months since Decide was identified with a flexor pressure in his proper elbow. The difficulty required a 10-day stint on the injured checklist, adopted by a month by which Decide performed completely because the designated hitter.
After returning to the outfield on Sept. 5, Decide appeared extra measured together with his throws early on.
However Decide unleashed a 85.8-mph throw to second base on Wednesday — his hardest such toss since getting back from the IL to that time.
“He’s stepped on a couple,” Boone stated. “The throw he made from the corner into second base the other day was a strong one.”
Initially, the Yankees eased Decide again into the outfield combine by staggering his time on protection and at DH. However Saturday afternoon’s sport towards the Baltimore Orioles within the Bronx marked Decide’s fifth consecutive begin in proper discipline.
He has now began in proper discipline in eight of the final 9 video games.
“I feel like we’re in a good place there,” Boone stated.
When Decide was restricted to DH responsibility, Giancarlo Stanton returned to the outfield for the primary time in almost two years. Stanton has made 20 appearances within the outfield this season, all up to now two months, however he’s resumed his position as the first DH as Decide’s defensive workload has ramped up.
Stanton, 35, has not began in proper discipline since Sept. 10. He has not began within the outfield in any capability since Sept. 14, when he performed in Fenway Park’s ultra-shallow left discipline.
“I gotta get back the accuracy a little bit, but that’ll come,” Decide stated Wednesday after his 85.8-mph throw got here in excessive. “I don’t like airmailing balls like that, but I feel good.”
With the ability to use Decide repeatedly in proper discipline and Stanton at DH permits the Yankees to optimize their lineup on offense and protection going into the postseason.
Decide hit his 52nd dwelling run in Friday night time’s 8-4 win over Baltimore. He entered Saturday main all MLB hitters in batting common (.330), on-base share (.458), slugging share (.687) and OPS (1.144).
The 33-year-old Decide seeks his second consecutive American League MVP trophy and his third total, however he faces robust competitors in Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, who started Saturday with an MLB-best 60 homers.
“Nothing Aaron Judge does surprises me,” Boone stated after Friday’s win. “To me, he’s the clear-cut MVP.”
TAXI MAN
With the Triple-A season now full, J.C. Escarra was again within the Yankees’ clubhouse on Saturday. Escarra is sticking with the crew as a member of the taxi squad, Boone stated.
“J.C.’s been a big part of our team this year, and [it is] certainly important to have him here,” Boone stated.
Escarra started the season because the Yankees’ backup catcher, however the 30-year-old rookie was optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in late July.
He had two extra brief stints within the majors after that, however with first baseman/catcher Ben Rice receiving increasingly more time behind the plate, the Yankees largely opted towards carrying three catchers.
Escarra hit .202 with two homers in 84 MLB at-bats, and he grades as one among baseball’s higher pitch-framing catchers.
Requested Saturday if Escarra might issue into one of many Yankees’ postseason rosters, Boone replied, “I don’t know yet.”
“We’ve been so consumed with this [playoff race],” Boone stated. “Once we get through tomorrow, we’ll start having all those conversations in earnest.”
An undisclosed group of gamers on the Yankees’ 40-man roster may also keep prepared in Scranton, Boone stated.
