The New York Yankees finally had enough.
Needing a roster spot for their incoming relievers Scott Effross and Zack Britton, they finally pulled the plug on struggling infielder/outfielder Miguel Andujar, designating him for assignment on Thursday.
Yankees DFA Miguel Andujar, the 2018 AL Rookie of the Year runner-up.
— Brendan Kuty (@BrendanKutyNJ) September 22, 2022
This means the team will have seven days after the transaction is made to trade the player or place him on irrevocable outright waivers.
If Andujar is claimed via waivers, the Yankees will lose him.
If he clears waivers, he can be outrighted to the minor leagues or released.
Andujar finished second in the 2018 Rookie of the Year voting in the American League, behind some guy named Shohei Ohtani.
That year, he slashed .297/.328/.527 with 27 home runs, 76 extra-base hits, and 92 RBI.
But he suffered a torn labrum in 2019 and hasn’t been the same ever since.
Andujar has slugged .318 in 376 plate appearances the last four years and has no real defensive value: he is lousy at his original position, third base, and while he is a bit better in an outfield corner, he is not an asset there.
The Yankees Couldn’t Wait For Him Any Longer
Incapable of producing at the plate and with no real value with the glove, the Yankees had enough.
His future will be decided in the next few days, but it’s likely that some rebuilding team takes a chance on his potential and snags him.
This year, Andujar is slashing a putrid .229/.250/.281 in 100 trips to the plate.
Roster spots, on a team like the Yankees, are scarce.
Andujar’s 2018 had the whole fan base dreaming about a young, controllable middle-of-the-order producer for the next five years.
But his 2019 injury derailed his career.
He has been asking for a trade for several months.
Is his future tied to another organization?
We will find out soon.
