Coming to the season, it was World Series or bust for the New York Yankees after losing to the Dodgers in ugly fashion last year. Now, we are in August, and it feels like New York is fighting to keep their head above water in a tight American League playoff race.
Yankees’ Recent Performance
Not only has New York fallen out of first place, but they now sit in third place with only a 1.5-game lead over a wildcard spot. The Yankees have lost four straight games after putting up losing records in both June and July. The reality is that this team just hasn’t looked like a quality group.
Aaron Judge and Others Returning
A lot of the struggles can be attributed to injuries. Aaron Judge is coming back tonight after a brief IL stint for an elbow strain. Another player recently making his return is starting pitcher Luis Gil, who made his season debut this past Sunday after a shoulder issue forced him out up to this point. Along with these guys, the Yanks have two starting pitchers out for the season: Gerrit Cole and Clarke Schmidt. Both will be receiving Tommy John surgery, which will be devastating for this pitching staff.
Trade Deadline Acquisitions
So, the Yankees have their reinforcements coming back, and they also just added seven players in trades. On the pitching front, they added David Bednar, Camilo Doval, and Jake Bird to fix the bullpen. After a down year in 2024, Bednar put up great numbers in Pittsburgh with a 2.37 ERA and 51 strikeouts in 38 innings before being traded. Similarly, Doval also was having a bounce-back season in San Francisco, where he posted a 3.09 and 1.20 WHIP over 46.2 innings before being traded. Bird was acquired for depth and was recently sent down to AAA. Unfortunately, the first night after adding these guys, disaster struck when the trio gave up nine runs over 2.1 innings in the ugliest loss of New York’s season. Despite this, Bednar and Doval are quality arms and should be significant upgrades for the bullpen.
In terms of the lineup, the biggest addition was third baseman Ryan McMahon. Besides him, the Bronx Bombers added depth pieces Amed Rosario, Jose Caballero, and Austin Slater. McMahon is taking over at third base, where he’s an excellent fielder. Unfortunately, he’s been below average at the plate throughout his Rockies career with a 92 OPS+. Rosario and Slater were brought in for their ability to mash lefty pitching, in which they have career OPSs of .803 and .795. Like many of his new teammates, Slater has caught the injury bug and was placed on the 10-day IL this morning. Caballero is the final addition to mention, as he’s a super utility player known for his defensive expertise.
Yankees’ Goals and Expectations
Despite the struggles, the goal in New York is the same: Win the World Series. However, it feels like the Yankees’ fans’ expectations are much lower nowadays. They don’t look like a powerhouse in the American League, and honestly, it’s hard to be confident they will even make the playoffs.
While the acquisitions at the trade deadline filled their needs, it feels like they didn’t add enough true difference makers. The starting pitching is good, but not great, and the same can be said for the bullpen. Yes, the cost to add pitching this deadline was immense, but opting not to move for the premier arms on the market could very well be the difference in not winning a championship. For an organization so often criticized for making reckless moves, the Yankees’ passiveness may be the biggest issue this time around.
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