Good afternoon everyone, it’s time to dive back into the mailbag and answer some of your questions. Remember to send in your questions for our weekly call by e-mail to pinstripealleyblog [at] gmail [dot] com.
The idiot that said, “Harper is coming” asks: What do you think about the idea of trading for Ke’Bryan Hayes from Pittsburgh?
Defensively, it’s a slam dunk. The Yankees would have a lockdown infield with Hayes, Anthony Volpe, Jazz Chisholm Jr. (when he returns), and Paul Goldschmidt that few if any could compete with. They’ve also seen a lot of success stories in their offense from developing players and veterans alike, with Ben Rice and Trent Grisham showing tremendous growth while Goldschmidt has refined himself into a phenomenal on-base leader, so taking a risk on Hayes’ poor bat with the hopes of at least improving him into an average to slightly above-average hitter is a reasonable one to take.
The question, of course, becomes what the cost is to get him. The Pirates are going nowhere this season and need pieces to build around Paul Skenes before they have to face the prospect of extending or trading the phenom ace, and Hayes is locked down to an affordable contract for at least the next four years with a club option for a fifth one. Even with a 77 wRC+ this season, the combination of Hayes’ stellar defense and teams hoping to tap into his breakout rookie form from 2020 will lead to a sizeable haul going back to Pittsburgh. Since this isn’t anywhere near the blockbuster tier of deals I actually believe the Yankees can pull off a fair trade for Hayes, but the question becomes whether they can do that and also secure rotation help, which is going to carry a premium cost no matter where they look.
Stephen M. asks: What more will Judge have to do to be considered the greatest Yankees right fielder in history (and yes, I know how crazy that is to even think of)? At this point in his career, with under half the total years as the other guy, he is on pace to be very close to the other guy’s career stats such as HR, RBI, and average.
Even applying maximum bias to the eras that each player played in, I don’t think there’s a world where you could make the case. I say this fully recognizing that Aaron Judge is playing like the best hitter not named Barry Bonds in this century, but the longevity and dominance of Babe Ruth’s career (even when completely disregarding his pitching career) dwarfs anything Judge will reasonably be able to put up in his remaining seasons. That’s not a diss on Judge! By the time his career is finished, if he sustains the level of play he’s been on for even a few more years, any other franchise would envy having him atop their leaderboards. The Yankees just happen to have a titan of the game’s history occupying the spot already, but there’s no slouch in being second-best by a wide margin when it’s all said and done.
MSPGiant asks: Thoughts on the Martian 25 percent into the season?
At most I’d say I’m pleased with his results, but probably lean a little underwhelmed. It’s a harsh expectation to give a 22-year-old getting his first real shot at the major leagues, but the hype the proceeded him and his initial eight-game run in 2023 definitely set Domínguez up to be one of The Guys on this team. He hasn’t been that, but he hasn’t been a detriment by any means — a 117 wRC+ while struggling against lefties as much as he has shows major potential, and I want to see the team give him as much runway as they can to unlock it. I know they’re juggling a four-man rotation in the outfield right now with Trent Grisham doing as well as he has, but Domínguez is a core part of the franchise’s future and should play as close to everyday as he can.
Trevor DeMont asks: What kind of reaction do you think Juan Soto will get from Yankees fans this weekend?
The crowd has been eagerly awaiting their chance to boo Soto since the ink was dried on his Mets contract, and they’ve already gotten some chants in for completely irrelevant games earlier in the year. Given all that, I’m expecting Altuve-level booing this weekend, whether he deserves it or not.