After his demotion to the minor leagues, Yankee outfielder Miguel Andújar has requested a trade, according to multiple reports.
Andújar was relegated to the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders on Friday, and told manager Aaron Boone of his desire to be traded, ESPN reported.
Boone called Andújar’s demotion a “tough numbers game,” as the franchises are only allowed to boast a 26-man active roster — which left Andújar as the odd-man-out, with the Yankees featuring a group of players ahead of him on the depth chart.
“He’s been a part of us winning ball games. … Right now, I know that he’s contributing. I know that. He knows that. It’s just been a tough numbers game obviously,” Boone told reporters following the demotion. “Last night was difficult.”
The 27-year-old has played 6 years in the major leagues, all with the Yankees, but he has appeared in only 12 games this season.
With his ability to play third base and in the outfield, Andújar has typically been able to find a spot in the lineup, but not this season with the roster in the Bronx.
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Josh Donaldson and Matt Carpenter have held down the starting role at third, while a rotation in the outfield of Aaron Judge, Joey Gallo, Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Hicks have kept Andújar out of the outfield.
In his 12 games this year, Andújar has recorded a .268/.279/.317 stat line, while seeing 11 hits in 43 plate appearances.
Reacting to the trade request, Boone brushed off implication, and praised Andújar for his contributions to the franchise.
“Miggy’s a great guy and handled it like a pro,” the manager said. “But understanding that’s a difficult option and understanding that he’s a big part of what we’ve done here and certainly wants to be here. So, I understand, that’s a tough one.”
