New York Yankees center fielder Spencer Jones may have found his sweet spot in the lineup.
The struggling rookie was shuffled into the No. 3 hitting spot by manager Aaron Boone for Wednesday’s game against the Seattle Mariners, then rewarded the team with one of the best games of his young career.
Jones hit two doubles and drove in three runs, the second game of his career with multiple extra-base hits, and spoke out on the lineup change.
Spencer Jones Breaks Out After Moving to No. 3
Jones had hit in the No. 7 spot in the series opener against the Mariners, but moved up four spots and played right field in Game 2.
Speaking to reporters before Wednesday’s game, Jones said he’s been trying to settle in despite a cold month of August. He is hitting just .129 in nine games this month, but said it helps to be surrounded by familiar faces and a new spot in the lineup.
âI think the game slows down on your own terms as long as you are able to recognize that itâs speeding up on you, right?â Jones said, via MLB.com. âI think the thing that helps the most is the familiar faces and getting to know these guys in Spring Training, knowing that weâre all pulling the same rope.
âI think as you settle and recognize the ways you can help the team win, a lot of things slow down for you. But just having the people you know and trust helps a lot.â
As MLB.com’s Matthew Richie noted, Jones showed patience at the plate on Wednesday and hit some well-placed balls.
“It wasnât just the clutch timing of Jonesâ swings that was encouraging, but also the direction of his spray chart,” Richie wrote. “After the Mariners staked out a three-run lead in the third inning, Jones came up with two outs and two on following Riceâs walk. On the eighth pitch of the at-bat, Jones sliced a fastball at the bottom of the zone off the left-field wall — with a 102.2 mph exit velocity — to bring the Yankees within a run.”
Spencer Jones Survived Trade Deadline Rumors
Jones had been seen as a prime trade candidate going into this month’s deadline, with some insiders expecting he would be included in some package to find more hitting help. The Yankees have struggled with Aaron Judge out of the lineup and out for an indefinite period, and Jones was seen as a prospect with some value for other teams.
But the Yankees held onto Jones, who is still expected to grow into a regular over the next year.
Jones said he’s excited to play with fellow rookie George Lombard Jr., who made his debut this month and showed off strong two-way play. Jones praised Lombard for his defensive prowess.
âHe walks around like heâs got like a vacuum on his hand,” Jones said. “Thatâs kind of how I see it. Anytime a ball is hit to him, heâs got a good feeling about it. Heâs got a good release. Throws it hard, too. Itâs fun to watch.â
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