New York Yankees: Will Tyler Austin Take Greg Bird’s Job?
With Greg Bird’s latest injury, the New York Yankees have once again called upon Tyler Austin to fill the void. Is this his last chance to stake his claim as a full-time starter?
If there’s one thing we know about New York Yankees first baseman Greg Bird, it’s that he has limitless potential. Another thing that’s fairly certain about the 26-year-old is that he’s still an unknown due to the injury bug.
We haven’t seen a full season from Bird due to injuries, and 2018 isn’t any different. He’s slated to miss 6-8 weeks after recovering from right ankle surgery.
Tyler Austin, a member of the team’s opening day roster, was the obvious choice to fill in Bird’s absence. Considering Bird will be out for nearly two months, Austin has a golden opportunity to make a name for himself.
Over the past few years, Austin has become a “veteran” of the farm system, as his name has been mentioned so often. The 26-year-old, much like Bird, has had a history of injuries, as he only appeared in 20 games last season.
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Fully healthy to step in for Bird, Austin has collected just six at-bat’s through three games.
In the team’s 5-3 loss against the Toronto Blue Jays, Austin connected on two home run’s, driving in three run’s in the process.
In his last full season in 2016 split between AAA and AA ball, he slashed .294/.392/.524 with 17 home run’s, 78 RBI’s and 34 doubles. His OPS came out to a sterling mark of .916.
If, key word being “if,” Austin stays healthy, there’s no reason to think he can’t reach the 20 home run mark.
In 123 at-bat’s from 2016-2017, he connected on seven round-trippers and 20 RBI’s.
While speaking to Mike Vaccaro of the New York Post, Yankees’ skipper Aaron Boone had nothing but praise for Austin following the team’s loss.
“He brought a lot of energy to the dugout, no doubt,” Boone said. “You got a little peek into the strength of Tyler Austin right there. The first at-bat, Estrada had his way with him. And then he adjusted.”
If Austin puts up solid numbers in Bird’s absence, would the team throw Bird back into the fire immediately? Boone has already shown the tendencies to create unique lineups and player positioning.
If Austin impresses, there would be little reason to insert Bird into the lineup two months into the season.
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Austin’s pop would give a boost to the bottom of the Yankees’ already dangerous and well-rounded lineup, too.
He’ll split time at first base with Neil Walker, but it sure seems like it’s his spot to lose. Time will tell if the longtime Yankees’ prospect will make due on his window of opportunity.