The Yankees fired hitting coach Dillon Lawson but that's just the first scapegoat to fall. Others should be on the chopping block.
New York went into the All-Star break unsatisfied with the first half of the season. So they made a change.
The Yankees fired hitting coach Dillon Lawson on Sunday after losing to the Cubs. Blame for the team's offensive woes had to land somewhere and Lawson was the fall guy.
That doesn't mean Lawson is the only Yankees figure who deserves to be sent packing. There are several others who should probably be joining him on his way out of New York. Let's take a look at the three biggest.
Yankees should also part ways with Josh Donaldson
Changing the hitting coach could have a real impact on younger Yankees hitters but Josh Donaldson is 37 years old. He's making $21 million this year while batting .146. Yeah, he's hit 10 home runs. He's only managed four hits beyond those, which is a staggering feat.
It was a mistake adding Donaldson in the first place. That much is clear. Getting rid of him wouldn't make up for that, but it would send a much needed message.
Yankees fans rejoiced when Lawson was canned. They'd be just as thrilled to see Donaldson head for the hills.
Yankees should also fire Aaron Boone
Let's face it. The Yankees have bigger problems than just the hitting coach. Yes, Lawson wasn't doing a good job. Neither has Aaron Boone.
The manager hasn't had control of injuries, to be fair. He certainly didn't plan for Aaron Judge missing as much time as he has. That's just not much of an excuse for the Yankees continual disappointment.
Boone has made head-scratching decisions consistently during games. Sunday alone was an example of that. He took Domingo Germain off the mound after six innings with a pitch count of 74. He had allowed just one hit all game. The result? A 4-1 lead blown, resulting in a 7-4 loss.
The pitching change wasn't the only frustration. Gleyber Torres committed his ninth error of the season, leading all second baseman, and Boone had the audacity of downplaying his questionable defense this season.
Boone hasn't taken accountability for his own mistakes, so it's no surprise he hasn't held his players accountable either.
Lawson was the first fall guy. If things don't improve considerably, Boone has to be next up.
Yankees should also send Brian Cashman packing
It's noteworthy that Yankees general manager Brian Cashman has never made a midseason firing before. He even told Bryan Hoch once that he doesn't believe in the practice, preferring to evaluate seasons in the whole.
So what changed?
Well, it seems a whole lot more palatable to fire someone in the middle of the season when waiting could mean your own firing. Cashman is making decisions like a man on the hot seat and the first of his scapegoats has been offered up.
It's pretty clear that the pressure is on Cashman to deliver better results. After all, it's his roster that is underperforming. Why shouldn't he be feeling the pressure? The buck stops with him.
Cashman made the personnel decisions that are currently weighing down the squad. He brought on Josh Donaldson. He picked the other underperforming veterans for this squad.
It's been over a decade since he's put together a World Series-winning roster despite spending an enormous amount of money in that span. You can only live off World Series victories for so long.
