The New York Yankees extended their win streak to three games with a victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Monday.
The team is now just one game back from the Detroit Tigers for the best record in the American League and are running away with their division after about one-third of the season. The Yankees recovered admirably from the loss of Juan Soto and appear to have depth at virtually every aspect of the roster, though one key position has remained unaddressed since spring training.
After the team lost long-time second baseman Gleyber Torres and moved Jazz Chisholm Jr. into the position, it has lacked a clear third baseman. Oswaldo Cabrera had taken over the spot before going down with a significant ankle injury. Now, former top prospect Oswald Peraza has been trying to fill in, but concerns are growing that he’ll never be able to seize the job.
“He’s gone from top prospect — even starting a game in the 2022 playoffs — to well-regarded talent to someone the organization clearly doesn’t expect big things from,” Brendan Kuty wrote for The Athletic. “And he hasn’t proved them wrong yet.”
MORE: Yankees' Ryan Yarbrough is the unsung hero New York needed
Peraza has earned 76 at-bats so far this season and is slashing .158/.229/.303 with a -0.1 WAR. It seems clear that the Yankees will seek an upgrade at third base at the trade deadline, if not before.
But as concerns mount around Peraza’s performance, superstar teammate Aaron Judge recently sent a message on his ability to turn things around.
“Give him a chance to play every single day, good things are going to happen,” Judge said, per Kuty.
Though that’s a strong vote of confidence from the team’s best player, the Yankees haven’t seen the kinds of results that would encourage them to keep Peraza in the starting lineup.
MORE MLB NEWS:
- Mariners' Robbie Ray trade to Giants isn't aging well
- Red Sox Alex Cora offers 2-word response on benching Trevor Story
- Rangers' Jacob deGrom has career first, but not the good kind
- Angels sign ex-Dodgers All-Star hours before facing Yankees
- Braves urged to trade ex-Yankees, Red Sox OF before he loses playing time