2 weeks Ago
The New York Yankees lost Juan Soto in the offseason, but it does not seem like they need him. Through their first 26 games, the Yankees are 14-8 and they sit alone atop the the American League East division. New York is also 7-3 in their last 10 games and winners of six of their last seven.
The offense has been the biggest reason for their success this season. As a team, the Yankees are seventh in batting average (.257), first in OPS (.
809), sixth in walks drawn (85), first in home runs (38) and second in runs scored (126). The Bronx Bombers have led the team the whole season, and they will have to continue to do so as the year progresses. With their ability to hit, the Yankees come in at No.
6 in the most recent power rankings by MLB.com . Aaron Judge is slashing .
390/.495/.707 with seven home runs, 25 RBI and 32 total hits in 22 games played this season.
The Captain of team USA is looking to win his third MVP and it does not look like anybody is going to stop him. However, there is one player in New York that is flying a bit under the radar. Paul Goldschmidt signed a one-year deal with the Yankees after contemplating retirement in the offseason.
The 2022 National League MVP is slashing .361/.407/.
458 this season. He has only one home run, so the power he has displayed in the past seems to have regressed. However, his ability to hit for average makes up for his lack of home runs at Yankee Stadium.
The right-handed batter is squaring up baseballs, he does not have a lot of swings and misses and he has done well not chasing out of the zone. Per Baseball Savant , Goldschmidt ranks in the 95th percentile in expected batting average and 79th percentile in expected slugging. Despite not hitting for power, the 37-year-old is more than capable of doing damage at the plate, and he has been a solid addition to the lineup.
Pitching is what will hold this team back. The Yankees relievers have done a good job, but the starting pitchers have been a problem. On the season, New York's starters have a 4.
50 ERA, which is 26th in the MLB. Additionally, they have the fourth-highest BB/9 and they are allowing over one home run per nine innings pitched. Not having Gerrit Cole has hurt the team in a big way.
Max Fried has done his best to pick up the slack, but the rest of the starting pitchers are not throwing the ball well. If New York finds a way to get more production out of their starting pitchers, they are going to be a threat to win the World Series. Recommended Articles.
