Yankees’ Latest Move with Josh Donaldson and Harrison Bader: Is it a Clear Sign of Season Surrender?

2023 has been a different year for the New York Yankees. Despite coming off a strong season in 2022, where the Pinstripes topped their division and made a post-season run that many expected to make to the pennant, their roster was recently exposed in the ALCS against the eventual champions in the Houston Astros.

After making some key roster moves in the off-season, the Yankees were expecting to run it back in 2023, but with the final stretch of games coming up, the Yankees are in 5th place in the AL East, with their hopes for a postseason considerably diminished. Thee Yankees have also realigned their objectives for the season. With their latest roster moves revealing a bit more about their intentions.

New York Yankees Make Key Roster Moves

The New York Yankees have released both Josh Donaldson and Harrison Bader in their latest roster shake-up. The move clears out spots in the in-field as well as the outfield allowing for potential changes to the batting lineup for the Yankees that can signal one of two things. Either the Yankees are making their final push for the post season, or they have officially given up on the 2023 season.

In either scenario, the New York Yankees fans will not be the ones that are happy with the situation. While Donaldson has been on the Yankees roster since the start of the 2022, Bader was acquired on the trade deadline last season. Swapping in for star pitcher Jordan Montgomery, the outfielder has certainly failed to live up to his expected performance.

The real question however remains why the Yankees have chosen to offload the two stars so soon after the trade deadline where they could have potentially gained something in return instead. The Yankees front office has made the decision to either release or place the players on waiver only 4 weeks after the trade deadline without any return set up.

Could it be that the Yankees actually have a replacement lined up?

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At 29, Bader was not living up to expectations as a center fielder. Despite posting strong numbers in season past, his hitting form seemed to have absolutely deserted him in the 2023 season. But the real trick could be what the Yankees have in store.

With a solid farm system burgeoning with talent, the Yankees’ decision to clear roster space could simply be their way of making space for their newest debutantes. Especially with the active squads set to expand from 26 to 28 in the final month of the season.

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The buzz appears to suggest that the Yankees could be setting up to call Jasson Dominguez and Austin Wells to Yankee Stadium to finally make their big league debut. Certainly not inspiring too much hope for the 2023 season, the move however, sets up the Yankees perfectly for the 2024 season where players like Wells and Dominguez would have settled into the squad and would be looking to make it big.

Fans will be eager to see if the Yankees have made these moves as short term changes to reinvigorate the 2023 season or if the real trick is setting up for 2024. But in the meantime, the news remains that Yankees squad remains in turmoil.

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