Five years later, Billy McKinney gets second chance with Yankees: ‘Earned the opportunity’

Gary Phillips, New York Daily News
·2 min read
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Billy McKinney’s first stint with the Yankees only lasted two games. Five years later, he’s earned another shot with the Bombers.

The Yankees added McKinney to their active roster on Wednesday when they placed Aaron Judge on the 10-day injured list and put Ryan Weber on the 60-day IL. McKinney first joined the Yankees’ organization as a prospect in 2016 when they acquired him, Gleyber Torres, Adam Warren and Rashad Crawford from the Cubs for Aroldis Chapman. McKinney then made his major league debut and picked up his first hit with the Yanks on March 30, 2018, but he only appeared in one other game for the team, which came the very next day.

The Yankees shipped McKinney and Brandon Drury to the Blue Jays for J.A. Happ that summer, thus beginning a well-traveled career for McKinney. He saw major league action with the Jays, Brewers, Mets, Dodgers and Athletics before rejoining the Yankees on a minor league deal this past winter.

McKinney, 28, slashed .274/.388/.511 with nine home runs and 25 RBI over 40 games at Triple-A this year. The lefty swinger played all three outfield spots for the RailRiders, but he spent more time at first base than any other position.

“A little defensive flexibility,” Aaron Boone said of McKinney on Wednesday. “Been raking for a month and a half now. Really, really playing well. Kind of earned the opportunity.”

McKinney hasn’t been much of a hitter in the big leagues, slashing .206/.277/.387 with 28 homers, 72 RBI and a 79 OPS+ over 263 games.

But he’s played well in the minors, and the Yankees didn’t have many other options. Boone said alternative choices included Franchy Cordero, who was already on the 40-man roster, and Estevan Florial.

Cordero enjoyed a sensational two weeks on the Yankees’ roster at the start of the season before falling down to earth. He’s hitting .342/.444/.566 with two home runs and 17 RBI at Triple-A.

Florial, a former top prospect, hasn’t made much of limited big league opportunities in the past and fell off the 40-man roster in early April. But he’s hit .317/.420/.623 with 12 longballs and 30 RBI for the RailRiders, and he’s a natural centerfielder, something the Yankees don’t have on their active roster right now.

Still, Boone favored McKinney.

“We considered both, and frankly, Flo has been doing a good job,” Boone said. “Franchy’s been doing a good job. And Billy’s been really doing a good job. The moment in time now, Billy made the most sense.”