Yankees’ Bryan De La Cruz move stuns fans — depth or desperation?

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The Yankees executed a significant roster adjustment Thursday, successfully claiming outfielder Bryan De La Cruz from the Atlanta Braves waiver wire and immediately optioning him to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. To accommodate this acquisition on their 40-man roster, New York transferred Giancarlo Stanton to the 60-day injured list as he continues battling persistent double tennis elbow complications – a development that further disrupts the team’s outfield configuration and designated hitter plans heading into the season’s second month.

While appearing modest initially, this transaction signals a broader tactical adjustment for the Yankees as they navigate injuries, left-right imbalances, and the developmental trajectory of young prospect Jasson Domínguez.

Yankees bet on De La Cruz’s right-handed pop, flexibility

De La Cruz, 28, established himself as a consistent contributor for Miami before joining Atlanta, where he struggled to secure regular playing time and was recently demoted following the Braves’ acquisition of former Yankee Alex Verdugo.

With a lifetime .252 batting average and 49 home runs across four partial major league seasons, De La Cruz demonstrates particular effectiveness against left-handed pitching. His .311 on-base percentage and .697 OPS versus southpaws potentially addresses a critical vulnerability on a Yankees roster that leans heavily left-handed and has increasingly become a target for opposing managers’ matchup-based bullpen strategies.

The statistics highlight this vulnerability clearly: New York has already accumulated 228 plate appearances against left-handed relievers this season, substantially more than Chicago’s second-place total of 191.

De La Cruz could provide much-needed balance, especially benefiting Domínguez, who has shown impressive production from the left side (.872 OPS across 63 plate appearances) while struggling dramatically as a right-handed batter (.391 OPS in 41 plate appearances).

But Yankees fans are perplexed over his choice

“Bryan De La Cruz is a 28-year-old RHB with a .251/.295/.402 (.698 OPS/88 OPS+) batting line over 1,872 PA in the majors,” one fan wrote. “He has experience in all three outfield positions, though he grades out as a poor fielder overall. The Yankees are De La Cruz’s 5th organization, along with Houston, Miami, Pittsburgh, and Atlanta. Just Triple-A depth. Nothing more.”

Another doubted, “I can also see a flash in the pan reclamation project that we fall in love with before he falls back to earth (hopefully for another team).”

“That will probably be an area the Yankees address closer to the trade deadline. This move doesn’t lessen the chances of that happening so no need to complain about it right now.”

He is also touted as an injury option: “An average RH bat to platoon with Jasson should anyone (God forbid) get injured. That’s not a bad free grab.”

The fan gets support too: “Replacement-level corner outfielder. Slightly below average in every way. Maybe they find a way to improve him, or maybe he is a replacement-level player who ends up playing when needed. Pretty low-risk, at least.”

“Throwing shit against the wall,” a Yankees claimed. “He’s a 20 HR bat, but he doesn’t walk enough and despite pop his slugging percentage is shockingly low.”

But a few don’t hesitate to question the move against the real Yankees needs: “We’re not gonna find a legitimate starting 3rd basemen on waivers. The whole org doesn’t grind to a halt in the meantime. Also, strangely enough, third base has become a weak major league position this year. There’s not a ton of talent available there.”

A fan slammed the roster spot jammed with the move: “I can’t believe we wasted the limited amount of roster moves we have on this. There is a limit to roster moves, right?”

Stanton’s 60-day IL move not surprising

The 60-day IL designation doesn’t dramatically alter Stanton’s expected return timeframe but officially pushes his earliest possible activation date to May 24th. The slugger has been sidelined since early April without a defined rehabilitation schedule, though reports indicate he’s been taking swings against high-velocity pitching machines and performing limited running exercises at the team’s Tampa complex.

Stanton’s extended absence continues challenging the Yankees’ designated hitter and outfield flexibility. With Ben Rice cementing his role at DH and Cody Bellinger occasionally occupying that spot, the team has constantly reconfigured their left field alignment and sometimes their first base positioning.

Adding De La Cruz provides another right-handed option capable of filling an outfield corner position if circumstances require his promotion to the major league roster.

Chisholm’s uncertainty: Pereira vs. Cruz

Further complicating the Yankees’ roster calculations is Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s condition after leaving a recent Baltimore contest with right oblique discomfort. Scheduled for diagnostic imaging Thursday, Chisholm faces the possibility of an injured list assignment.

Should Chisholm require recovery time, the Yankees might need to summon another bat – potentially De La Cruz – to complete their bench. Everson Pereira has received most Triple-A opportunities in left field but hasn’t performed convincingly enough to warrant major league promotion.

This positioning suggests the Yankees view De La Cruz as a strategic reinforcement who might contribute sooner than anticipated if Chisholm misses time or Domínguez continues struggling from the right side.

Cashman’s roster construction and Boone’s juggling?

This latest acquisition exemplifies Brian Cashman’s 2025 personnel management approach – aggressively addressing tactical weaknesses while remaining willing to adjust on the fly.

This methodology has already yielded positive results with players like Trent Grisham transforming from projected fourth outfielder into an everyday contributor, and Ben Rice emerging as a productive designated hitter.

Now De La Cruz enters the organization as a potential platoon piece, depth reinforcement, or trade asset depending on his performance in Scranton.

The Yankees maintain their AL East lead at 18-13, though by a narrow 1.5-game margin over Boston. While Tampa Bay, Baltimore, and Toronto all currently hold losing records, the division remains fluid. With pitching depth questionable beyond Max Fried and offensive uncertainties multiplying due to injuries, New York’s early success faces significant testing throughout May.

The forthcoming Yankee Stadium series against Tampa Bay will provide further insight into manager Aaron Boone’s approach to these moving pieces. Should De La Cruz join the active roster soon – particularly if Chisholm requires IL placement – he’ll immediately face meaningful at-bats against a division opponent known for deploying specialized relief pitchers.

Manager Aaron Boone has managed lineup fluidity throughout the season. His optimism remains evident despite injuries and inconsistency.

Earlier this week, Boone acknowledged that they’re “never a complete product” and emphasized their continuous pursuit of incremental improvements.

That sentiment perfectly encapsulates the De La Cruz acquisition – a low-risk investment in a potentially valuable right-handed hitter who might provide the Yankees with a platoon solution while their lineup continues evolving.

What do you think? Leave your comment below.

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