New York Yankees outfielder Mike Tauchman was thought to be lost for the season after he suffered a flexor strain in August.
However, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman told Joel Sherman of the New York Post that Tauchman is fully healthy and could be named to the playoff roster if necessary:
“He is healthy and eligible,” Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said prior to Game 3. “That is why he has been down in Tampa doing all his stuff.”
Tauchman was one of a number of surprisingly effective players during the regular season. He mostly patrolled the outfield, slashing .277/.361/.504 with 13 homers in 87 games.
This presents the Yankees with an intriguing decision that could shape the rest of this series… and possibly the next one (should they get to that far).
Outfielder Giancarlo Stanton sustained a strained quad during Game 1 of the ALCS, and he has not been named to the starting lineup in each of the last two games. The Yankees have stated that they will consider Stanton as day-to-day and monitor his comfort level in the outfield.
There is a real possibility that Stanton simply will not feel healthy for the rest of the series. He might be relegated to pinch-hitting duties.
However, Stanton would not be eligible for the World Series roster if the Yankees replace him with Tauchman.
Naturally, this presents a bit of a dilemma for manager Aaron Boone. Tauchman would be a valuable asset as someone that can add pop and versatility to the lineup. But Stanton has already been a difference-maker during the ALCS, and he can change the course of a game with one swing.
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