MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: By now, we’ve all heard the gut-punch news that Cody Bellinger will head to the IL for some time. While initially optimistic that the hamstring suffered while legging out an eighth inning double in Saturday night’s win over the Phillies wasn’t too serious, an MRI scan on Monday revealed a Grade 2 left hamstring strain that will keep Bellinger out of action for 4-to-6 weeks. Despite hitting a bit of a slump to open the second half, Bellinger has been one of the Yankees’ most valuable contributors on both sides of the ball, and his absence robs another impact bat from a shaky offense already suffering from Aaron Judge’s extended absence. Spencer Jones was called up to replace Bellinger on the active roster, and the performance of what has now become a ragtag team of assembled bats will likely make or break the Yankees season over the next month-plus.
The Athletic | Brendan Kuty ($): Despite the Yankees facing the weakest remaining strength of schedule of any AL East team, it’s hard not to feel there is rough water ahead as they weather the absences of Judge and Bellinger. There is a very real scenario where neither player returns for the remainder of the regular season, meaning the Yankees need serious reinforcements on offense if they are serious about keeping their division hopes alive. The biggest name that has surfaced in recent rumors linked to the Yankees is the Nationals’ two-time All-Star shortstop CJ Abrams. However, Abrams is in the midst of a career year, leading all shortstops with 27 home runs while also leading all of MLB with 82 RBI and placing in the top-eight in wRC+ (153) and fWAR (3.9), and would therefore cost a king’s ransom to pry from Washington, any prospective conversation guaranteed to start with Yankees top prospect George Lombard Jr.
MLB.com: Abrams is not the only position player the Yankees have been linked to in the wake of Bellinger’s injury. With the MLB Trade Deadline just a week away, the front office has called multiple teams to enquire on the availability of several right-handed hitting outfielders. Lane Thomas is the name that has popped up the most, the Royals outfielder on an expiring contract and posting a .799 OPS against lefties. Jo Adell, Taylor Ward, and Heliot Ramos have also been floated as potential targets. Among the players the Yankees are less likely to pursue are Luis Robert Jr. (injury) and George Springer and Jorge Soler (full-time DHs), while Spencer Steer might have been an option before landing on the IL with a right wrist sprain.
The Athletic | Chris Kirschner ($): The one name the Yankees have been most concretely linked to all summer is Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers, recently returned from a broken hamate and picking up right where he left off at the time of his injury. He is one of the best hitting catchers in the league this year with a 160 wRC+ in 185 plate appearances and is familiar with Yankees catching coordinator Tanner Swanson after the latter was instrumental in the Twins drafting Jeffers in the second round of the 2018 MLB Draft. However, messaging from the front office and Aaron Boone suggests that the Yankees still have faith in Austin Wells turning his season around and prize his framing and game-calling abilities above all else, which is steering them toward the pursuit of a platoon partner to split reps with Wells rather than take over primary catching duties. To that end, the Yankees may be more in the market for established backups including Tyler Stephenson and Luis Torrens, both of whom hit lefties better than the 11 wRC+ Wells currently sports against southpaws.
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