Yanks now tied with San Diego in Tankathon

The Yankees didn't lose last night. But they kept rolling.

They gained a game on the Mets and Padres - both of whom won meaningless outings - in the Tankathon race to the bottom of MLB, where the worst teams will compete in a lottery to decide the first pick in the 2024 draft. For now, that's our best hope.

The Death Barge is now tied with San Diego in the all-important WIN column, at 60, only one game behind the Mets and Cleveland. 

Tonight brings a stern test:  Washington, currently baseball's 7th worst team, and a well dented tomato can. But Washington has been energized recently by young players called up from the farm. Could the Yankees actually lose a home series to such an abysmal team? I say, BELIEVE. 

In preparation for this critical three-game series, the Yankees yesterday rearranged deck chairs on their Edmund Fitzgerald. The kings of Starr Insurance announced they will bring up 22-year-old OF Everson Pereira, who gushed up through the farm system last month, hitting .312 in 158 plate appearances at Scranton. It won't matter that Pereira bats RH in a lineup that already tilts tragically in that direction; the Yankees weren't getting production from Triple A stalwarts Jake Bauers and Billy McKinney. 

The Yankees will also promote infielder Oswald Peralta, the Scranton yo-yo, who hit over .300 last September in a similar cup of coffee, and who was then hailed as the SS of the future. He tweaked a gonad in spring training and was ghosted throughout most of 2023 - hitting .268 at Scranton in 300 plate appearances. He's only 23, so a lost year probably doesn't mean much. Still, it's a testament to mismanagement that the Yankees have played so miserably, yet Peraza still hasn't even gotten a chance to show what he can do.

Not to be ignored, the Yankees promoted heavily hyped - (Mickey Mantle meets Mike Trout) - outfielder Jasson Dominquez - aka "The Martian" - to Scranton, after a solid month at Double A Somerset. I don't know what to make of Dominguez. He started ice cold - sub Mendoza line - and has steadily lifted his average to .254 over 500 plate appearances. He has 15 HRs and 37 SBs. He'll turn 21 next February. It feels like he's been a farm hand for 10 years, but it should be noted that he lost a season of development during Covid. It's hard to imagine the Yankees enjoying a reason for hope in this rotten season. If Dominquez hits at Moosic, he could rise out of spring training and become next year's Anthony Volpe. Whatever that means.

On a darker note, veteran slogger Jackie Donaldson is apparently running outfield sprints and planning his return. It's like hearing The Joker has been released from prison for good behavior. Donaldson was the first great pariah of 2023 - (followed by Aaron Hicks, Carlos Rodon, Giancarlo Stanton and Luis Severino.) 

I cannot think of more hopeful news, if we plan to move up in the Tankathon.