Miguel Andujar didn’t do enough in his sporadic at-bats for the New York Yankees to keep him with the big club.
The team announced on Thursday morning that it optioned the 25-year-old to its alternate summer-camp site — which is this year’s version of the minor leagues because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Andujar was sparingly used through the Yankees’ first 11 games of the season. He garnered just 14 at-bats over five games, slashing a lean .071/.071/.071. That’s just one hit in those 14 at-bats with no walks and three strikeouts.
It made him a prime candidate to trim off the roster as MLB teams had to get their depth charts down to 28 players by Thursday. The Yankees are saddled with depth that offered no openings for Andujar to break through.
Shoddy defense saw his normal role as a third baseman usurped by Gio Urshela, who continues to thrive in the Bronx. Meanwhile, his move to a corner-outfield couldn’t be fully realized considering Mike Tauchmann has run away with the prime backup job. Plus, the Yankees have the talented, yet under-utilized Clint Frazier waiting in the wings despite showing continuous promise as a power-hitting corner outfielder.
They are also expecting their closer, Aroldis Chapman, to return to the team shortly after dealing with COVID-19 which will take up another roster spot.
The move continues Andujar’s difficult road back to the majors after a dazzling rookie season in 2018 that saw him tie the MLB record for most doubles in a season by a first-year player. A torn labrum forced him to undergo shoulder surgery that saw him miss most of the 2019 campaign, which opened the door for Urshela to overtake his job at third base.
