The Yankees have emerged as leaders in the AL East after a victory over the Angels on May 28, displaying confidence within the division. Tampa Bay is the only other club in the division above .500.
Despite losing the last two games before the All-Star break, the Yankees find themselves not only atop the division but also just two games behind the front-running Blue Jays. They’re also ahead of the Red Sox in the standings.
Meanwhile, Boston has climbed to third place, fueled by a 10-game winning streak, playing significantly better since trading Rafael Devers to San Francisco.
General manager Brian Cashman mentioned last week, “I’m sure he’ll love importing starters,” and it seems clear why he feels that way, especially with the upcoming July 31 trade deadline in mind.
What’s interesting is that the Yankees acquired right-handed pitcher Rico Garcia from the Mets earlier this week.
Garcia has exhausted his minor league options, meaning he’ll need to be added to the major league roster. The 31-year-old has pitched in two games for the Mets, totaling 4²/₃ innings, mostly playing at Triple A Syracuse this season.
While the Yankees have received more than expected from Will Warren in the rotation and Devin Williams has settled into the closer role, the pitching struggles are evident, causing the team to appear less dominant than before.
Injuries have really taken their toll on the rotation, and the bullpen has often disappointed, with Jonathan Roasiga struggling even before suffering a leg injury.
This has contributed to a concerning set of numbers over the past month and a half. Before a 18-23 stretch leading up to the All-Star break, the Yankees’ pitching staff had the fifth-best ERA in the majors, alongside a strong starting rotation.
However, things have changed. The staff now ranks 24th in total ERA and 14th among rotations. The bullpen’s WHIP is currently in 27th place, performing better only than the Mets, Rockies, and Twins.
Following an impressive May (17-9), the Yankees dipped in June (13-14) and have had a rough start in July (5-7), which feels like a repetition of past performances.
Interestingly, the statistics for the first three months of 2023 and ’24 mirror those of the second half of 2022.
Cashman acknowledged that he has a “long list” of goals to achieve in just over two weeks. The Yankees, Red Sox, and Rays are all within 1½ games of wildcard spots—while the Blue Jays sit at the top. It’s worth mentioning that the Yankees have a record of 10-16 against fellow divisional teams.
The Yankees have been expecting more from Spencer Jones. This impressive left-handed hitter had been struggling with the expectations, often leading to strikeouts.
In his initial 36 games this season at Double-A Somerset, the 2022 first-round pick recorded an .844 OPS with 56 strikeouts in 151 plate appearances. Since then, in 27 games across both Somerset and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Jones has hit 13 home runs, striking out 34 times while posting a remarkable 1.268 OPS.
Scouts have noted that Jones’ improved contact this season has resulted in more line drives and fly balls, reducing his ground ball rate.
The lingering questions for Jones are whether he can maintain this level of success and if he’ll stay within the organization or be used as a trade piece, especially with the July 31 deadline approaching.
