The New York Yankees are finally getting the chance to see what their newest acquisition Harrison Bader can do on a baseball field.
Bader was acquired from the St. Louis Cardinals in the Jordan Montgomery trade mere minutes before the trade deadline.
At the time, Bader was recovering from plantar fasciitis and many around baseball weren’t quite sure what the Yankees were thinking.
Now, it’s pretty clear what Brian Cashman had on his mind.
He needed an upgrade out in center field, both offensively and defensively.
To put it into context, Bader has six RBI in his first three games as a Yankee.
Aaron Hicks has six RBI since July 30.
How Bader Helps The Yankees
It’s safe to say that Bader could in fact be the upgrade the Yankees were looking for.
He’s obviously much younger than Hicks and has far more upside.
Bader was one of five Cardinals to win Gold Glove Awards last season, joining Paul Goldschmidt, Tommy Edman, Nolan Arenado, and Tyler O’Neill.
There’s a lot to be excited about when concerning Bader if you’re a Yankees fan.
He’s fast, he hustles, can hit for power and average, steal bases, cover ground in center, and make some pretty exciting plays.
It’s one of the reasons Cardinals fans loved him so much and why Yankee fans will soon concur.
The fact that in just three games he’s driven in six runs is a pretty good sign and indication of the kind of player he can be when he’s healthy.
As for Hicks, well, the stats speak for themselves.
He was signed to a long-term extension and it’s pretty clear that it hasn’t exactly panned out thus far.
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