3 Toughest Lineup Issues Yankees Manager Aaron Boone Will Have to Face in 2020

The New York Yankees have had one of the most feared lineups in the MLB over these last few years. Aaron Boone's Bronx Bombers mashed 573 home runs in his two seasons with the club, and naturally, his team is expected to be just as dominant this season. The Yankees always have higher-than-high expectations, but there are some real question marks out there, too. These might be the toughest issues for Boone heading into his third year as the Yankees' skipper.

1. Outfield Balancing Act

To start the season, there are not as many questions about the status of the Yankees outfield as both Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge are not expected to be back from injury in time for Opening Day. However, once they return -- along with Aaron Hicks, who underwent Tommy John surgery back in October -- deciding on the right playing rotation will be paramount. Brett Gardner, Clint Frazier and Mike Tauchman are expected to get the nod in the outfield to start the year, but keeping everyone happy once the unit is at full strength will be quite the juggling act.

2. First Base Situation

First base has been one of the weaker positions for the Yankees ever since Mark Teixiera retired in the 2017 season, relatively speaking. Last year, Luke Voit changed that narrative and was very productive at the plate, as he hit .280 and 17 home runs prior to the All Star Break. He was affected by abdominal injuries for the latter part of the season that really affected his production in Pinstripes, however. Coming in to 2020, Voit will look to bounce back, but after such a significant surgical procedure, that is far from a guarantee. If Voit cannot rediscover his best form, Boone and the Yankees will have to consider utilizing Mike Ford as a platoon option -- or scour the market for a trade target.

3. What to Do with Miguel Andujar

Miguel Andujar was an instant rising star in New York after a 2018 rookie campaign in which he posted a .297 batting average and hit 27 home runs. However, while he missed all but 12 regular season games in 2019 due to a torn labrum, Gio Urshela emerged and hit .314 with 21 bombs. The third base job will be Urshela's going into 2020 based on the fact that he is not a defensive liability at the hot corner like Andujar has been. With a healthy Yankees lineup, Andujar does not quite fit anywhere on this team on a full-time basis, but he is too much of a talented bat to relegate to the bench. Boone's toughest decision of all is figuring out a way to get the 25-year-old regular playing time.