There was a time when the Yankees’ lineup spent very little time focusing on defense. They were power hitters who certainly helped the offense and provided a big boost to the team, but their work in the field left plenty to be desired. That era feels like quite awhile ago, even though it hasn’t been that long.
The 2016 Yankees deserved criticism for a number of factors, but the defense wasn’t really a problem at all, other than when the aging Carlos Beltran manned right field. They had average to above-average defenders at every position, and some truly elite names as well.