It is no secret that the New York Yankees have an injury problem, and after veteran outfielder Aaron Hicks experienced discomfort in his lower body while rounding the bases on Tuesday night, it is possible the club places him on the 10-day IL. If Hicks ends up spending a few days recovering, the Yankees should seriously consider promoting super slugger Andres Chaparro, who is currently playing with the Triple-A Scranton squad.
With Giancarlo Stanton still on the IL following a hamstring injury, he still needs several weeks before a potential return. In the meantime, the Yankees’ primary DH has been inconsistent, ranging from Jake Bauers to Willie Calhoun.
The Yankees could utilize Andres Chaparro as their DH:
Chaparro could fit the bill perfectly as a supplemental DH until one of their sluggers returns to the squad. Chaparro has had a red-hot start to the 2023 season, hitting .281 with a .351 OBP and a .587 slugging percentage. He currently boasts a 127 wRC+, hitting 10 home runs with 26 RBIs across 31 games.
However, his most recent stats are electric, recording two homers and 10 RBIs in his last three games combined. Chaparro is currently on a six-game hitting streak, posting five hits in five at-bats on Tuesday night against the Kansas City Royals’ Triple-A affiliate. Over his last 20 games, Chaparro has only gone four games without a hit and has eight multi-hit games in that time span.
Given how well Chaparro is seeing the ball and his improving plate discipline, there is no question he deserves an opportunity at the MLB level, especially with a significant need in the heart of the order. Chaparro has a 23.1% strikeout rate and a 9.7% walk rate. The hope would be that his strikeout rate does not skyrocket at the MLB level, but every young player should be given some leeway for at least a few weeks to iron out any deficiencies and begin to adjust to the elevated intensity of Major League Baseball.
At the very least, boosting Chaparro’s stock with a few solid days at the highest level may increase his trade value. Chaparro does not have a defined defensive role at this point in his career, potentially taking over at first base long-term after Anthony Rizzo, but the Yankees still have Rizzo under contract through the 2024 season.
Nonetheless, if the Yankees are looking for a player who can hit the cover off a baseball, Chaparro is undoubtedly their guy.
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