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The New York Yankees have a surplus of outfielders. Brett Gardner, Ichiro Suzuki, Zoilo Almonte and Vernon Wells have all played well at times during the season, and it’s going to be tough to decide who gets the biggest cut in playing time. For a while, it looked like it had to be Wells. Now I’m not so sure.
Wells has caught fire early in July, hitting an even .500 with 10 hits, three runs scored and four RBI’s. Those 10 hits already give him as many as he had all of last month, and we’re only 11 days in. The only thing he isn’t doing at the plate is getting home runs. In fact, Vernon Wells hasn’t hit a home run since May. However, the fact that he’s swinging the bat so well suggests to me that the home runs will come.
What to do, then? I say use him as trade bait. Wells suddenly looks a lot more desirable to other teams, and the Yankees need a bat at first, third or catcher far more than they do in the outfield. I say trade him for a younger, more consistent hitter, or perhaps a starter.
Vernon Wells’ sudden hot streak has opened up a world of interesting possibilities for the New York Yankees. With the trade deadline coming up down the road, we’ll see if they keep him or deal him.
Kyle Massa is a New York Yankees writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @kylemassa, “Like” him on Facebook, or add him to your network on Google.
