It’s May 1st. The New York Yankees, fresh off a 15-2 loss to the Texas Rangers, sit at just 15-15, good for last place in the AL East and eight games behind the first-place Tampa Bay Rays. Local media outlets criticize general manager Brian Cashman for failing to bolster the team’s offense with quality free agent acquisitions in the offseason. Manager Aaron Boone is questioned on a nightly basis about his lineup decisions. No one is safe from blame.
This criticism was warranted. The hole in left field that the Yankees sat with was predictable, and with top trade target Bryan Reynolds recently signing an extension with the Pittsburgh Pirates, the prospects of an upgrade looked weak. Nestor Cortes Jr., an all-star last year and fan favorite, was struggling to the tune of a 4.91 ERA. Josh Donaldson and Aaron Hicks continued to see their offense production dwindle. Every other AL East team had a winning record, making the path to the playoffs look difficult. Disappointment in the team was prevalent at Fieldston too. Matthew Kelley (V) called the Yankees season “very disappointing.”
Yet, just three weeks later, the Yankees are nine games above .500 and boast one of the hottest offenses in baseball. So, what changed?
A number of factors have contributed to the Yankees turnaround. The Yankees were decimated by injuries to a number of key players during the first month of the season. Three members of their projected starting rotation at the beginning of the season—Carlos Rodon, Luis Severino and Frankie Montas—sat on the Injured List. Harrison Bader, their starting center fielder, had yet to take the field. DJ Lemahieu couldn’t stay healthy. Their top prospect, Anthony Volpe, had struggled in his crack try at major-league pitching. Moreover, a peek under the hood of their 15-15 record revealed the most difficult strength of schedule in the entire league, implying that their poor start was partly due to some bad scheduling luck.
Many of the issues have begun to work themselves out. Luis Severino recently returned to the field and had a strong start against the Cincinnati Reds. Harrison Bader has not only returned with his elite defense in center field but is also mashing the cover off of the baseball with a 125 OPS+, indicating he’s been 25% better than the league-average hitter. Aaron Judge has a laughable 1.758 OPS since returning from his own IL stint. Volpe has picked it up at the plate and first baseman Anthony Rizzo has continued to hit well. Other player’s like Lemahieu, Gleyber Torres and even Isiah Kiner-Falefa have had their moments as well.
The Yankees also recently designated outfielder Aaron Hicks for assignment, a welcome move among fans and one that finally pulls the plug on a rough few years for the veteran in pinstripes. That move, combined with slugger Giancarlo Stanton’s impending return from injury, give the Yankees a solid outlook in left field moving forward.
Of course, the baseball season is a long one. The Yankees still have a few injured players and question marks on the roster that need to be sorted out. The AL East will continue to produce tough opponents and New York will have to continue to play well if they wish to make the playoffs. But there’s no doubt this team is better than they were given credit for just three weeks ago. The New York media and fans will always be a ruthless bunch, but the harsh criticism this team received was an overreaction.
Great teams have the power to bring communities together. New York is a better place when the Yankees are winning. Fieldston is a better place when the Yankees are winning. And this team has the potential to bring championship number 28 to the Bronx.
The New York Yankees are just fine.
