With Aaron Hicks out for likely “months” after having wrist surgery this week, Clint Frazier has become even more important for the Yankees moving forward.
Frazier was named the Opening Day left fielder before the start of the season, seemingly ending what had been four straight years of the former fifth overall pick fighting for regular playing time.
But a brutal start to the season that included a .151/.280/.302 slash line through his first 36 games only brought back that uncertainty about Frazier’s place in the outfield. Prior to being sat down due to neck soreness on May 17, Frazier was on a stretch of striking out in eight of his last nine games, and had fanned a total of 34 times in those first 36 games of the year.
But since his return, when the Yanks need him most with the loss of Hicks, Frazier has looked much better at the plate, going 2-for-4 in Tuesday night’s loss after enjoying a 3-for-4 day against the White Sox on Sunday. In two games started since coming back from his neck issue, Frazier has picked up nearly a third of his hit total for the season up to that point.
“Obviously the last few games I’ve swung it a lot better, but I’m hitting the ball a lot harder right now,” Frazier said. “For me, it’s about the confidence and believing in what I’m doing…obviously I have to keep it going.”
With Hicks out for the foreseeable future, Brett Gardner has been seeing the bulk of the reps in center field. But the 37-year-old will need rest at some point, and manager Aaron Boone has told Frazier to be ready to see time in center field, a position he has played just once at the major league level.
Nevertheless, Frazier is ready to make his return to center.
“I’m excited,” Frazier said. “I haven’t played there, I don’t think I played center field in the big leagues until 2018 against the Mariners was my last time. I felt like I handled it pretty well there, but obviously I’m going to have to go out there and continue to get reps.”
Despite playing a total of just nine innings in center field during his big-league career, Frazier does have plenty of time logged in center field elsewhere, which he will lean on whenever is number is called to give Gardner a breather.
“Center field is a position for me that I think to this date is the most-played position in my career in the minor leagues and the lower levels before that,” Frazier said. “I’m excited. Gardy is going to need an off day pretty soon.”
Frazier’s bat looks more like the one that produced a .905 OPS last season since returning to the lineup, and the Yankees will need him to continue stepping up at the plate and in the outfield as they battle for first place in the AL East.
“I’m excited,” Frazier said. “Hopefully I get a chance to go out there and play good D.”
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