Yankees Hot Corner – Shut Andujar down

I was looking for a ‘Shut It Down’ compilation exclusively of Jon Taffer, but this will have to do.  Anyhow, Miguel Andujar needs to be shut down for the season and get healthy for next season.  He is back on the IL and after the Yankees signed Kendrys Morales this week it almost guaranteed that Andujar will be out long term.

It’s understandable that the Yankees haven’t officially ruled out Andujar yet, as they don’t want to lose leverage in any trade they may need to make, but the longer they wait to get the surgery done, the longer the rehab will be for Andujar.  Andujar has a torn labrum and although he’s said in the past that it hasn’t affected his swing, he clearly looked uncomfortable at the plate.

Andujar is a fantastic player and will be a key cog for the Yankees in the future but he needs to shut it down this year and try again next year.  He’s still very young and shoulder surgery isn’t as daunting as it used to be.  Add that to the growing list of Yankees showing their stuff (Gio Urshela, Thiaro Estrada) and Andujar is at least replaceable in the short term.

Urshela will most likely never produce the way Andujar can (unless he’s truly a diamond in the rough) but he is a better defender at third base and he can more than handle his own with the bat.  Miguel Andujar will be missed but he needs to get better before it gets worse.  Would you rather have him for all next year if he’s shut down now, or keep playing this song and dance?