NFL
By: Billy Lewis
The New York Yankees sent waves throughout baseball when they acquired Edwin Encarnacion from the Mariners over the Weekend. Unfortunately, to make room for Encarnacion on the 25 man roster, the Yankees would have to send down a player to AAA. That player was Clint Frazier.
Frazier was able to get consistent playing time in early 2019 thanks to injuries to both Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton. Frazier responded to consistent at-bats by putting up big numbers for the Yanks. The young outfielder has an 855 OPS to go along with 11 home runs and 34 RBIs.
Clint Frazier has been great with the bat this season but has left a lot to be desired in the field. He has been a consistent force in the lineup and became a bat the Yankees could rely on. Needless to say, Frazier was surprised to be demoted.
Injuries have been a problem for the Yankees but they have been able to win despite them. Clint Frazier has been a big reason why the Bombers have been able to roll.
Road Back from Injury
Frazier is upset that he was sent down and he should be! After he suffered a concussion in last season’s Spring Training, he had a tough road to battle back. He’s been able to come back strong and make himself a force in a Major League lineup.
While Frazier’s days on the Major League roster were most likely numbered with the imminent returns of Stanton and Judge, it was still shocking seeing him sent down while the Yankees retained Mike Tauchman on the big league roster.
It feels as though Brian Cashman has looked at Clint Frazier as a trade chip ever since originally acquiring Frazier in the Andrew Miller trade. Cashman, of course, coined Frazier’s “legendary bat speed”. Now with the lineup returning to full force, and the trade for Encarnacion, one has to believe Frazier could soon be part of a trade.
The demotion to AAA should upset Clint Frazier. He has worked hard and filled in for the Yankees when they needed him. Clint Frazier just needs to take care of his business in AAA. So long as he does that, he should find himself as an everyday Major League outfielder. Unfortunately, that may not be with the Yankees.
