The New York Yankees were aggressive at the MLB trade deadline, reshaping their roster with versatile pieces built for situational advantages.
One of those additions was Amed Rosario, a 29-year-old right-handed hitter with a .282/.319/.442 slash line this season.
Rosario has appeared in just six games since being acquired, which raises real questions about how the Yankees intend to use him.
Missed opportunities with Volpe struggling
The Yankees have faced multiple recent moments where Rosario’s bat could have been a difference-maker, yet manager Aaron Boone looked elsewhere.
Anthony Volpe stepped into one of those situations, facing a left-handed pitcher despite being in a brutal August slump offensively.
Volpe is hitting just .176 this month with a .575 OPS, which represents his lowest output during any stretch this season.
Rosario, meanwhile, thrives in these exact matchups, posting a .319 average against left-handers with three home runs and 11 RBIs.
Despite the obvious advantage, Boone left Volpe in the game, resulting in a predictable three-pitch strikeout that killed the rally.
Rosario’s clear value is being wasted
The Yankees didn’t bring Rosario aboard to ride the bench. He was acquired specifically for his utility against left-handed pitchers.
When a team trades for a player with such a defined strength, failing to deploy him properly borders on organizational malpractice.
Rosario offers more than just matchup hitting — his defensive flexibility makes him a legitimate option at several infield positions.
He has experience at shortstop, second base, and even the outfield, yet the Yankees seem uninterested in leveraging that versatility.
It feels like a disconnect between the front office’s plan at the deadline and Boone’s day-to-day decision-making on the field.
Boone’s questionable decision-making
Bad managerial decisions are nothing new in the Bronx, but ignoring Rosario’s situational value is particularly frustrating for Yankee fans.
Boone has often leaned on loyalty or instinct instead of exploiting the best possible matchups, a habit that hurts late in games.
The Yankees can’t afford to waste plate appearances when chasing the Blue Jays and Red Sox in a tight divisional race.
Every run matters, and leaving a cold bat in against a lefty while Rosario sits is a glaring tactical error.
The Yankees have one of the deepest rosters in baseball now, but depth is useless if it isn’t strategically deployed.
Urgency is needed now, not later
With the postseason looming, the Yankees don’t have time for indecision or mismanagement of the pieces they’ve acquired.
Rosario is far from a superstar, but he represents a niche advantage that could swing critical games against tough competition.
If Boone continues ignoring that role, it risks nullifying one of the smarter deadline acquisitions the Yankees’ front office executed.
The Yankees went “all in” to add depth and versatility. Now it’s on Boone to actually trust and utilize it.
