9 immediate Yankees issues: Greg Bird's struggles, trades, more

Posted July 03, 2018 at 06:01 AM | Updated July 03, 2018 at 06:39 AM

By Brendan Kuty | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

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Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media

Greg Bird's struggles

The Yankees have to be close to losing their patience with first baseman Greg Bird, who’s hitting .198 in 31 games since coming off the disabled list following ankle surgery. After hitting two homers in Saturday’s win, he’s 1-for-8. He entered Monday hitting .171 (7-for-41) in his previous 15 games.

"I've just got to do better," he said late Monday night.

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John Munson | NJ Advance Media f

Need another starting pitcher

The Yankees shouldn’t go into the postseason with Masahiro Tanaka as Luis Severino’s No. 2. They probably will, since the high-end starting pitching trade market is (predictably) thin and since there’s about a 0 percent chance the Mets send either Jacob deGrom or Noah Syndergaard to the Bronx. But Cashman’s top priority should be — and he’s said it is — to bolster a rotation that still has Sonny Gray pitching every five days.

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Mike Stobe | Getty

Jonathan Loaisiga's innings cap

Following Monday’s four-inning start in a 5-3, 11-inning loss to the Braves, Jonathan Loaisiga was at 63 innings for the season, including 45 in the minors. That could be a problem. The most innings the Nicaragua native has pitched in a season was 68 2/3 … as an 18-year-old with the Giants in the Dominican Summer League. Injuries have been an issue his whole career. He topped out at 32 2/3 frames last season. On Monday, Boone said he believes Loaisiga’s cap to be somewhere just beyond 100 innings. Would the Yankees consider putting him in relief if he creeps toward the limit but is still effective?

Boston Red Sox v New York Yankees

Jim McIsaac | Getty

Living with Romine, Higashioka

Gary Sanchez (strained right groin) hit the disabled list June 25 with an underwhelming — by his standards — .723 OPS. He also had 14 home runs, the most among the game’s catchers, and provided a strong arm behind the plate. Until he returns — the Yankees are targeting sometime around the All-Star break — Austin Romine and Kyle Higashioka will have to fill in. Neither counts as a zero at the plate but the catcher’s position immediately becomes the weak link in the lineup.

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