Amed Rosario could get more time in the Yankees’ lineup if Ryan McMahon’s struggles at third base keep going. Aaron Boone has acknowledged that McMahon’s swing has looked tentative at times, and Rosario’s job has mostly been to face left-handed pitching.
That matters now because the Yankees are trying to steady an infield that has not produced enough early in the season while they keep pace in the AL East. If McMahon does not start hitting, Rosario is the most obvious alternative waiting for a larger role.
Boone’s patience is being tested by the same problem that has followed McMahon into April: the bat has not matched the defensive job. Rosario is not being asked to become an everyday answer, but his presence gives the Yankees a way to move on quickly if they decide McMahon’s offense is costing too much.
The rotation is also about to change. Luis Gil is set to rejoin the staff on Friday against the Rays, bringing the Yankees back to five members, while Carlos Rodón is still working through right hamstring soreness as he aims for a late April return. When Rodón is ready, someone will have to come out, which makes the next few starts important for every arm in the group.
Ryan Weathers is dealing with a similar kind of pressure on the other side of the field. He has twice failed to complete five innings, and one outing against Miami took 88 pitches for 11 outs. Weathers said he needs to trust his defense more, but the larger issue is that velocity alone has not been enough to carry him deep into games.
For the Yankees, the pattern is easy to see. McMahon is trying to hold down third base while Rosario waits behind him. For Weathers, the question is whether his stuff can start producing length before his role starts to shrink. In both cases, the next few appearances will say more than the early-season numbers have.
In a division this tight, there is little room for patience that never turns into production. The players who cannot turn their chances into outs and hits will keep making way for the ones who can.
