Yankees shoot at coach Dillon Lawson during the team’s offensive struggle

The New York Yankees made a big change en route to the All-Star break.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman announced Sunday that the ball club has fired hitting coach Dillon Lawson.

New York’s decision to make changes with their attack isn’t too surprising. The offense has struggled since the passing of Aaron Judge to a toe injury on June 3, allowing the fourth fewest runs in baseball over the last 30 days through Sunday. As a result, the Yankees went 14–17. Their final loss came on Sunday when they lost at home to the Chicago Cubs, losing 7–4 as they lost two of three in their final series before the break.

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But even with the current MVP, the Yankees’ offense is struggling. They are 19th in runs scored this season, and no batter on their roster outside of Judge has an OPS over .800. As a team, the Yankees have an on-base percentage of .300. This not only ranked 26th in baseball, but also the lowest in team history since 1990.

Still, there is an element of surprise in the Yankees’ decision to fire Lawson. It is the first time Cashman has fired a coach during a season in his 26 years in charge of the Yankees.

“It is well documented that in the past I have been reluctant to make changes to our coaching staff in the middle of the season,” Cashman said in a statement. “I firmly believe that successes and failures are collective efforts. Ultimately, however, I felt a change was needed and a new voice overseeing our batting operations would allow us to live up to our abilities as we continued into the second half of our season.” Closer will give you the best chance to perform.

“I want to thank Dillon for all his efforts. He has a bright baseball mind that will go on to have a long and fruitful baseball career.”

Lawson, 38, was hired as the Yankees’ hitting coach ahead of the 2022 season, replacing Marcus Thames after his contract was not renewed. Prior to becoming the Yankees’ hitting coach, he had served as the organization’s minor-league hitting coordinator for the previous three seasons.

No successor was immediately named, but Cashman told reporters that a replacement would come from outside the organization. New York has narrowed its search to two undisclosed finalists and could make an appointment as soon as Monday, reports The Athletic.

The Yankees lead 49–42 at the break, eight games behind the Tampa Bay Rays for first place in the AL East and one game behind the Houston Astros for the final wild card spot.

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