Mike Ford Deserves a Spot on Yankees Postseason Roster

The Yankees have had a spot in the playoffs locked up for quite some time now, so September has mostly been a time for fringe players on the team to audition for roster spots in October.

One of the players who has taken full advantage of his increased playing time is 27-year-old stud Mike Ford. The surprise slugger has absolutely raked down the stretch for the Bronx Bombers, and his success at the dish proves that he deserves a shot to play in the postseason.

The numbers really speak for themselves. In 159 plate appearances this year, Ford has slashed .257/.346/.564 with 12 home runs and a 134 wRC+. In September alone, he has put up six extra-base hits and a 202 wRC+ in 13 games.

In a season where practically every member of the Yankees has seen the ball well, Ford has somehow managed to stand out from the crowd. Among players with at least 150 plate appearances for New York this year, his 134 wRC+ trails only DJ LeMaheiu and Aaron Judge.

He has honestly been one of the best hitters to suit up for the Yankees in 2019.

Keeping him on the roster would give manager Aaron Boone an intriguing power bat off of the bench that could turn out to be a game-changer late in contests against their playoff opponents.

Sure, there are plenty of options that provide more positional versatility, such as utilityman Tyler Wade or outfielder Cameron Maybin, but neither of them hold a candle to the offensive upside that Ford quite literally brings to the plate.

Ford has played his heart out for the Yankees this year. Though his outbreak was unexpected, it has been more than enough to show that he can be a game-changer for the team in the playoffs.