The Yankees Are Rightfully Getting Creative at Leadoff in 2025
The 2025 MLB season is just days away from starting, and one of the biggest questions for the New York Yankees heading into the regular season is at leadoff.
PHOTO: Wendell Cruz/Imagn Images
It has seemed like the Yankees would go with catcher Austin Wells at leadoff, at least against right-handed pitching. With Wells being a catcher, there are natural days off involved due to day games after night games. Wells is also a far better hitter against right-handed pitching, so it always seemed more likely that he would platoon at the leadoff spot, hitting in that spot against right-handed pitching.
Wells had a .327 on-base percentage against right-handed pitching in 2024, according to FanGraphs. That number was better during the summer months. Wells was dealt rough luck early on in 2024 despite good batted-ball data, and he struggled in September after being hit on the hand by a pitch. Even as is, a .327 on-base percentage would likely be fine at leadoff.
The Yankees need to find a leadoff hitter against left-handed pitching. With the lineup projected to be left-hand-dominant, this is a tougher question to answer.
However, Jack Curry of the YES Network hinted that Paul Goldschmidt could be the choice for manager Aaron Boone.
When digging into the numbers, it makes a ton of sense.
Goldschmidt did not have his usual great season in 2024. Many point out that his second half was much more in line with his career numbers. However, when specifically looking at his performance against left-handed pitching, Goldschmidt perhaps fits the leadoff mold better than anyone else.
The goal is to set up Aaron Judge with a runner on base as much as possible, so a high on-base percentage is a prerequisite to hitting in that lineup spot. Goldschmidt posted a .366 on-base percentage against left-handed pitching in 2024. Even in a down year, Goldschmidt profiled as an ideal leadoff hitter against left-handed pitching, so it should come as no surprise that the Yankees will likely explore that option early on in 2025.
There is something that Wells and Goldschmidt have in common that makes them more desirable leadoff options than others on the roster, and it is the fact that they are not base stealers. Many might suggest players like Cody Bellinger, Anthony Volpe, Jazz Chisholm Jr., or even Jasson Dominguez as leadoff options. All four players bring varying levels of speed. Volpe, Chisholm, and Dominguez, in particular, profiled as players who can steal a lot of bags
The traditional thought is that a leadoff hitter should bring speed, but that is simply not the way it works in MLB in 2025, especially for the Yankees.
In recent years, the Yankees have demonstrated that they do not want base runners attempting to steal bases when Judge is at the plate, and understandably so. Risking making an out on the basepaths when Judge has a bat in his hands would not be smart.
So, speed should not be a factor when determining the leadoff hitter for the Yankees.
In fact, platooning Wells and Goldschmidt in the leadoff spot would allow the rest of the roster to maximize its baserunning potential.
Putting a player like Chisholm in front of Judge would likely hold back one of his biggest strengths as a player.
Over the course of a 162-game season, there is plenty of time to make adjustments to the lineup. If Wells or Goldschmidt struggle at leadoff, or if Dominguez is living up to his potential with a high on-base percentage, changes can and likely will be made.
However, heading into the season, utilizing Wells and Goldschmidt in the leadoff spot makes a ton of sense for the Yankees.
PHOTO: Wendell Cruz/Imagn Images
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Categorized:Yankees