Aaron Boone Is Hopeful Mike Tauchman Gets 'Opportunity' With Giants

Shortly before first pitch in Baltimore on Tuesday night, Aaron Boone was the bearer of some news for outfielder Mike Tauchman.

Tauchman had been traded by New York to the San Francisco Giants as the Yankees moved on from a talented asset that regressed a year ago, but has shown potential to contribute in an everyday role. 

As much as delivering that type of an update to a player is never easy, the manager is hopeful that it turns out to be good news for Tauchman, who simply hasn't been able to secure playing time in pinstripes.

"Hopefully for Mike, it's more of an opportunity because I absolutely think he's a championship-caliber player," Boone said after New York's 5-1 victory over the Orioles. "I think he's a really good outfielder on a good team and early on, he hasn't had a ton of opportunities to play."

Entering this season, with no minor-league options remaining on his contract, it looked like Tauchman's days with the Yankees were numbered. Boone and the organization endorsed Clint Frazier as the starting left fielder and signed veteran Brett Gardner as a fourth outfielder, leaving Tauchman in a competition for the final spot on the big-league bench.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman revealed at the conclusion of spring training that he had turned down a number of calls from other teams looking to acquire the outfielder over the last few years. 

Evidently left-hander Wandy Peralta was enough of a return to convince Cashman and the organization to send Tauchman packing. 

To start this season, Tauchman rode the bench more than any other player on this roster. He appeared in 11 of New York's first 23 games, making just four starts in the outfield. 

Even Tauchman's work at first base throughout the spring didn't result in playing time.

"He has such a similar skill set to Gardy who's our fourth outfielder right now and who I've been prioritizing getting more reps in," Boone explained. "So Mike hasn't really probably gotten the reps that frankly he probably deserves or is certainly worthy of."

It's Tauchman's performance two seasons ago that makes the outfielder's departure more of a tough pill to swallow. The elite defender and speedster on the bases was one of the best hitters in the league that summer, finishing the season hitting .277/.361/.504 with 13 home runs. 

Perhaps he can recapture that type of production at the plate in a Giants uniform, contributing for a team that's off to a red-hot start this season (going 15-8 through the first 23 games of the season).

"I know they're getting a really good player and obviously we saw what he did for us in '19," Boone said. "We know what kind of athlete and defender he is."

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