All seemed well in Yankeeland when the second-placed team in the American League East arrived in the Bronx this week and the umpire called play ball.
Early reviews (including here) were raving about the Bronx Bombers. Everyone was talking about how well things were going and, in particular, how impressive their form was.
The reality soon became apparent.
The Orioles, who had clinched a playoff berth in Game 1 on Tuesday but were considered underdogs, beat the home team 9-7 on Wednesday and drew occasional boos from fans at Yankee Stadium who realized things weren't so perfect after all.
I give my opinion O. They don't feel intimidated in a 718.
Orioles slugger Anthony Santander hit a ball that hit the foul pole and Colton Cowser hit one that nearly reached the Grand Concourse. The Orioles then opened Wednesday's game with five consecutive singles, at least one of which should have been caught (more on that later). The Yankees scored four runs in the ninth and three on Aaron Judge's 57th home run, but they couldn't fully overcome the losses they'd suffered in the previous eight innings.
Given the overwhelming odds, these two games will likely be nothing more than bad memories: You don't need to hire an MIT analytics guru to see that the Yankees still have a 99.3 percent chance of winning the division (assuming all seven remaining key games are 50-50 odds).
The Yankees will still be considered the favorite to win the American League Derby, not just because they have the highest payroll, the most stars, or the best record, but because everyone has seemed happy lately (at least by the standards of a very conscientious Yankees employee). Their starting pitching has looked solid and consistent, their lineup has been impressive in many instances, and their relief pitchers have been better than pundits have made them out to be. The Yankees' health has also generally been good (though no longer perfect), especially by recent Yankee September standards.
Of course, it's fair to ask whether the past few days have sparked any October fears. Of course, it's fair to ask whether the past few days have sparked any October fears. I asked Aaron Boone what he was most worried about right now, and it's no surprise that he didn't name one, given his overall lack of glaring weaknesses and his unusually polite nature.
That's not the case here. As the magic number remains at one and the champagne continues to chill, let's evaluate the concerns.
1. Nestor Cortez has a sore elbow.
He's far from perfect health. It turns out Cortes had been feeling something was wrong since Sunday, and an MRI on Wednesday revealed a problem with his flexor tendon. Cortes is resting for 7-10 days, and all Boone can say is that if the games continue into October, there's no chance Cortes will miss any games. Simply put, we probably won't see him until next year.
Cortes wasn't expected to be in the starting rotation, but he's a hard-hitting lefty with a big ball that could be a useful postseason weapon.
2. The left’s solution is not yet clear.
We were ecstatic when they promoted Jason Dominguez, a tremendous talent who gave the team a sudden powerhouse in a cameo appearance in 2023. But after a few weeks, we've occasionally seen why Boone was reluctant to replace veteran Alex Verdugo. Dominguez, who overran a catchable fly ball near the line for a long single on Wednesday, has looked noticeably shaky in left field while playing just over half the games.
Meanwhile, Verdugo continues to start about half the games and continues to struggle offensively (three hits in his last 23 games) despite a reported allergy to batting gloves. With four games remaining in which Verdugo can make an impact, the race continues. Concern level (1-5): 4.
3. Cleanup hitters are an issue again.
The Yankees struggled here, but finally brought in catcher Austin Wells. Wells seemed like the right choice, a Rookie of the Year candidate in a key position behind superstar Aaron Judge. But Wells batted just .125 in September and the Yankees remain fourth-bottom in OPS (.652). I hear Wells' TikTok is still top-notch, though. Concern Level (1-5): 3.
4. The bullpen isn't made up of pitchers who can strike out batters.
Rising star Luke Weaver anchors the team, and a high-leverage roster of Tommy Kahnle, Ian Hamilton, Tim Hill and promising former closer Clay Holmes have shut down most teams of late. Weaver is shaping up to be a strikeout star (22 in his past 10 innings), but he looks like a liability in late-game matchups against the Guardians and Astros. Concerns (1-5 scale): 2.
5. Gleyber Torres still needs a roadmap for negotiating the base.
That's true no matter how eager Boone is to say he's “improved” his past baserunning woes: He still homered with six outs, tying him with Yandy Diaz for most in the majors (via YES Network).
Torres is a particularly dangerous leadoff runner, especially considering how foolish it would be to get out in front of superstars Juan Soto and Judge, but he almost always makes it to the next base. Concern level (1-5): 1.
