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Jacoby Ellsbury Poses Plenty of Risks In 2018
Four seasons into his tenure with the New York Yankees, veteran outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury finds himself at a crossroads. The 34-year-old appears to be fifth or even sixth on the outfield depth chart in the Bronx. There was speculation this offseason that he would even be traded, although his hefty contract makes that unlikely. Injuries also hampered his season, as a concussion cost him a significant amount of time. When Ellsbury was healthy, however, there were some signs of positive trends. He kept his strikeout percentage at a manageable 15.4%, while increasing his walk rate to an even 10%. His BABIP also saw an increase, reaching .304, his highest in four years. Finally, Ellsbury kept his stolen bases at a health amount, swiping 22, his most since 2014. The problem with the former Red Sox player, however, is the aforementioned injury history and lack of opportunity. With Giancarlo Stanton, Aaron Judge, Brett Gardner, Aaron Hicks and perhaps even Clint Frazier ahead of him, Ellsbury simply offers no guarantees for significant playing time. Don’t count on him being a sleeper pick unless he wins a starting role in Spring Training.
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