Clint Frazier got the start in left field on Thursday after going 1-for-2 with a double and a pair of walks on Wednesday night, but Aaron Boone struggled with the decision all the way up to Thursday morning when it came time to turn in the lineup card.
With Frazier and Miguel Andujar both fighting for playing time in the outfield, expect more tough decisions for Boone when it comes to who will start in left field until one is able to separate himself in the tightly-contested debate.
“It’s been a tough call for me every day, frankly,” Boone said Thursday. “I wrestled with it even all the way to this morning. I definitely liked Clint’s at-bats yesterday…but Miggy has earned opportunities to, and it’s probably going to continue to be that way where it’s a day-by-day thing.”
Frazier has struggled badly this season, slashing .191/.314/.329 after posting an OPS over .900 last year, and his numbers this month haven’t been much better. Andujar enjoyed a hot streak earlier in the month but is not just four for his last 27, and is slashing .244/.271/.374 on the season.
With both left fielders looking to recapture offensive production from years past, the decision on who to start each day will depend on more than just “what have you done for me lately?”
“It’s a difficult one right now,” Boone said. “We’re talking about two players fighting over the same position, and we believe in their offensive skillsets…it’s competition, ultimately is what it comes down to. We have two players I feel are capable of grabbing the position and playing it and impacting us, so it’s what you have to grapple with every day.
“Performances matter. Obviously Miggy earned a lot of everyday reps there where he was gaining some traction. The matchup matters, the conversations I have with my coaching staff matters and factors into who I decide to go with.”
Frazier was seen as the regular starter entering the season before his brutal start caused a drop in playing time. Andujar’s arrival only added to the pressure for Frazier to begin to produce, though both were in the starting lineup on Wednesday when Brett Gardner had a night off. Defensively, both are far below average, but both have proven potential at the plate, and until one or the other finds a way to consistently rediscover that production, Boone will be left with a tough decision on a daily basis.
“I really was back and forth with it,” Boone said. “Probably, ultimately coming off a night where I felt Frazier strung together some really good at-bats factored in, but Miggy gets a big hit to start a rally in his last at-bat. It’s been a tough decision for two players who I know if we get them going, can help us a lot.”
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