New York Yankees' Utility Man Heating Up At The Plate

The New York Yankees are getting the most out of this utility man.
John Jones-USA TODAY Sports
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With superstar outfielder Aaron Judge out indefinitely with torn ligaments in his toe, the New York Yankees need all of the help they can get on offense.

Luckily, one unlikely suspect has been stepping up as of late.

Super utility man Isiah Kiner-Falefa has been on fire at the plate recently, which has helped his team rip off seven wins in their last 10 games.

In his last seven games, Kiner-Falefa is 10-for-24 (.417) with a .484 on-base percentage and .625 slugging percentage. Over the course of the past 15 games, he is slashing .333/.391/.538, and in his last 30 contests he is hitting .322/.357/.433 with two home runs and 17 RBI.

Kiner-Falefa has helped aid a Yankee offense that has been without Judge since June 4 after he smashed through the right field fence at Dodger Stadium to make an amazing catch.

Overall, Kiner-Falefa is slashing .262/.308/.393 with a .701 OPS, five home runs and 23 RBI on the season.

In addition to his contributions at the plate, Kiner-Falefa also provides value defensively, as he has the ability to play third base, shortstop, left field and center field.

And due to the struggles of Josh Donaldson (.131 batting average), Kiner-Falefa could potentially see more time at the hot corner in the near future if he keeps up this hitting.

The Yankees don't know when Judge is coming back, and in order for the team to survive they're going to need help from a number of players including Kiner-Falefa.

The Yankees entered play on Wednesday night with a record of 48-38. Although they're eight games back of the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League East, they're tied for the final two Wild Card spots with the Houston Astros.


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Pat Ragazzo
PAT RAGAZZO

Pat Ragazzo is the main publisher and reporter for the Mets and Yankees On SI sites. He has been covering the Mets since 2018 and Yankees since 2021. Pat was selected as The Top Reporter & Publisher of the Year 2024 by the International Association of Top Professionals (IAOTP) for outstanding leadership, dedication, and commitment to the industry. He has appeared on several major TV Networks including: NBC4, CBS2, FOX5, PIX11 and NY1; and is a recurring guest on ESPN New York 880 AM and WFAN Sports Radio 101.9 FM. Pat is also the Mets insider for Barstool Sports personality Frank "The Tank" Fleming’s podcast. You can follow him on Twitter/X and Instagram: @ragazzoreport.