The Yankees are off to a hot start in 2025 with a deeper, more athletic lineup that can score in bunches. But there’s one big hole – no reliable right-handed bat late in games. That showed up again in Tuesday’s 7-5 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks and is something the team needs to address if they want to win a World Series.
The Missing Righty Bat
In the 9th inning, down 7-4 against Arizona’s lefty closer A.J. Puk, the Yankees found themselves in a tough spot. Manager Aaron Boone had already pinch hit for switch hitter Jasson Dominguez for outfield defense, leaving three lefties – Austin Wells, Trent Grisham and Ben Rice – to face Puk. Switch hitter Oswaldo Cabrera, who struggles against lefties, was due up 4th.
With no righty on the bench to pinch hit, Boone turned to Pablo Reyes, who lined out to center on the first pitch to end the game.
This is a lingering problem with the otherwise great roster. The lineup is stacked with talent but there is no right handed bat off the bench or in a utility role.
How Did We Get Here?
Budget constraints have been the main culprit behind the Yankees’ void at third base- and elsewhere. Signing Paul Goldschmidt to first base left them with little room to maneuver. They went into spring training without a full-time third baseman or a high-end right-handed utility player to call their own.
That void hasn’t changed much since spring training. The Yankees scouted other camps for a righty bat, but just couldn’t find the right fit. They remain open to making a trade, but so far, nothing’s materialized. And that’s a problem.
Oswald Peraza was supposed to be part of the solution. But after hitting just .160 in spring training, he’s not exactly the answer to their late-game woes. He made the roster because he’s out of minor league options—and the Yankees didn’t want to risk losing him on waivers. That lack of production has put Boone in a tough spot.
Potential Solutions
While the Yankees work on that, here are some fixes:
Jasson Dominguez’s Growth
Dominguez can solve the problem himself by getting better defensively to the point where Boone feels comfortable leaving him in the game instead of using a defensive replacement. Or Dominguez can work on his swing from the right side and give the Yankees another righty bat.
Oswald Peraza’s Time is Running Out
Time is running out for Peraza to make this happen. If he can turn his tools into results he can still be the player the Yankees thought they drafted.
Trade Opportunity
Nothing has emerged yet but an attractive trade target could pop up during the season. The Yankees have shown they’re not afraid to make midseason moves to add to the roster.
The Bright Side: A Lineup That Works
Despite this issue the Yankees post-Soto offense has been awesome. Forget the 18 home runs in 4 games—let’s look at the bigger picture:
Austin Wells Breakout
Wells is already one of the top young catchers in the game. His 13 pitch at-bat in the 5th inning on Tuesday was a great example of his patience and plate discipline and sparked a 2 unearned run rally. Now we can debate whether teams would rather have Wells, Baltimore’s Adley Rutschman, the Mets’ Francisco Alvarez or Arizona’s Gabriel Moreno behind the plate.
Athleticism Everywhere
Cody Bellinger has speed and power, stole his first base of the season and showed he’s a threat on the bases. Ben Rice, Dominguez and Anthony Volpe are hitting the ball hard consistently and showing elite exit velocities.
Yankee Stadium Talent
Players like Dominguez, Bellinger, Rice, Goldschmidt and Wells all have swings that play well in Yankee Stadium. Add in Judge’s continued dominance and Stanton’s promising recovery from injury and you have a lineup that can thrive all season.
Will Warren’s Debut
Pitching prospect Will Warren went 5 strong innings in his last start, his fastball velocity dipped a bit in the 5th. Given the cold weather and the fact he’s still building up his endurance this isn’t a big deal. Warren is a bright spot in the Yankees rotation.
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