The New York Yankees have compiled a long list of impressive single-season accomplishments throughout the illustrious history of the franchise. Nonetheless, a new record was set by a rookie on Saturday afternoon at Fenway Park.
Although rookie Gleyber Torres made headlines everywhere for hitting the home run that gave the New York Yankees a new MLB single-season team home run record, another rookie set a single-season franchise record.
Miguel Andujar did not make the Yankees opening day roster despite a phenomenal effort in Spring Training. The assignment of Andujar to Triple-A was to make room for Brandon Drury, who was acquired in February from the Arizona Diamondbacks to start at third base.
However, Drury only played in a few games before he was placed on the disabled list with migraine issues. This opened up an opportunity for Andujar to prove his value and he never looked back.
Through 148 games as a rookie, Andujar has compiled an incredible 75 extra base hits (XBH). His 75 XBHs currently have him tied with All-Stars Manny Machado and Nolan Arenado for 11th in the entire MLB. He is also only 9 XBHs away from 2018 AL MVP candidate Mookie Betts, who is also the league leader in XBHs.
More from Call to the Pen
- Philadelphia Phillies, ready for a stretch run, bomb St. Louis Cardinals
- Philadelphia Phillies: The 4 players on the franchise’s Mount Rushmore
- Boston Red Sox fans should be upset over Mookie Betts’ comment
- Analyzing the Boston Red Sox trade for Dave Henderson and Spike Owen
- 2023 MLB postseason likely to have a strange look without Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals
Out of those 75 XBHs, Andujar has compiled 46 doubles. Prior to the game against the Boston Red Sox on Saturday, he was tied with Yankees legend Joe DiMaggio for the franchise record for doubles by a rookie with 44. DiMaggio set the record in 1936 and went on to hit 389 doubles in his career.
Nonetheless, during the game on Saturday at Fenway Park, Andujar doubled off of Brandon Workman in the top of the 5th to set a new record with 45 doubles. He then added another double in the top of the 9th off of Hector Velazquez to increase his newly set rookie franchise doubles record to 46.
Even though Shohei Ohtani has put together a very unique season by splitting time as a pitcher and a designated hitter, Andujar deserves a Rookie of the Year award for his contributions in New York. Without the consistency of Andujar throughout the this season, the Yankees may not be a playoff team. His unexpected 82 runs scored, 92 runs batted in, and .856 OPS are a large reason that the Yankees will be playing in the Wild Card game on October 3rd.
Andujar’s contributions also allowed the Yankees to move Drury, alongside Billy McKinney, to the Toronto Blue Jays for potential Wild Card game starter J.A. Happ. After letting Todd Frazier leave in free agency, and trading for an unproven Drury, third base was a question mark for the organization. However, with Andujar’s emergence, he may have third base locked down for many years to come.