There was unease, or even palpable concern among the Yankees perpetually anxiety filled fan base when the team opened the second half of the season losing four out of seven games and were 60-45 on July 26, far from the rampaging team that was 50-22 in mid-June and looking every bit like a group constructed to end the franchise’s 15-year drought without winning a World Series.
They still may be the champions when all is said and done, yet there is a lot of work ahead, with the AL East division title the first goal to attain. The Yankees faced the Seattle Mariners on the West Coast on Tuesday night in the opener of a three-game series winning 11-2 to improve to 88-63, four games up on the second place Baltimore Orioles (84-67). Both teams are locks to earn postseason spots, either as a division champion or wildcard. But the AL East pennant is the prize.
The Yankees will stay out West to play the Oakland A’s for three games this weekend and then host the Orioles for three at Yankee Stadium scheduled for next Tuesday through Thursday that could be a pendulum swing for the division crown. The Yankees have clear flaws in their lineup and pitching staff, the latter mainly the bullpen which closer, Clay Holmes, led MLB in blown saves as of Tuesday with 12.
It is demonstrably proven that center fielder Aaron Judge and right fielder Juan Soto must produce consistently and proficiently for the Yankees to beat the best teams in the league that they’ll ultimately meet up with in the playoffs. Judge is the likely AL MVP and Soto should finish third in the voting when the results are announced in November following the conclusion of the World Series. As of today, Judge, Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. and Soto are the top three betting favorites in succession.
After being on pace to break his AL home run record of 62 set in 2022, Judge had the longest home run dry spell of his career, going 16 games dating back to August 25 before hitting a dramatic grand slam last Friday in the bottom of the seventh inning in a 5-4 win over the Boston Red Sox in the Bronx. It was Judge’s 52nd of the season. He went into last night’s game topping MLB with 53 home runs, 136 RBI, 123 walks and an OPS (on-base plus slugging) of 1.149. Judge was also third in batting with a .323 average.
Soto, who hit his 40th homer of the season and 200th for his career on Tuesday was second in walks (121), fourth in home runs (40) and tied for seventh in RBI (103).
