One of the main narratives so far this season has been the Yankees’ lackluster defense. In 16 games, the Yankees have 12 errors (9th in the AL), and the team’s starters have accumulated -6 Outs Above Average (OAA) according to Statcast. The infield defense, moreover, has been particularly bad, with defensive miscues — most notably by shortstop Gleyber Torres, but at one point or another by pretty much everybody in the infield — directly leading to multiple losses.
While watching the Yankees over the last few weeks, the impression I received was that the team’s infield defense was dramatically improved in the games where DJ LeMahieu played first base compared to when Jay Bruce was in.