Despite being without Gerrit Cole and a few other key relievers, the New York Yankees have been rolling along. The Yankees offense and pitching staff have been firing on all cylinders. This has led New York to have one of the best records in baseball through a third of the season. The Yankees haven’t lifted a World Series trophy in over 14 years and patience is not a virtue with their fans. One thing that is becoming obvious with this team is they are hungry to end their championship drought.
Early Season Adversity
Embed from Getty ImagesBefore the season began, the Yankees were bitten early by the injury bug. Relievers Scott Effross, Tommy Kahnle, and Lou Trivino were all placed on the injured list and wouldn’t be expected back until June. Effross is still recovering from Tommy John Surgery that he got back in 2022. While those injuries were tough, this wasn’t the worst injury news that the Yankees received during spring training. Cy Young winner Gerrit Cole would be placed on the injured list due to an elbow injury. Cole would be forced to miss at least the beginning of the season.
Many Unanswered Questions Surrounding The Pitching Staff
Embed from Getty ImagesGerrit Cole’s injury was the last thing the team needed. The pitching staff already had a lot of question marks heading into the 2024 season. Carlos Rodon and Nestor Cortes were either mostly injured or ineffective. Free agent signee Marcus Stroman was entering his first season and had questions of his own. Clarke Schmidt was also coming off a rocky first full season in the starting rotation. Luis Gil wasn’t even supposed to be in the starting rotation plans. Gil was called back late in spring training due to Cole’s injury and won an open competition.
No Gerrit Cole No Problem
Gerrit Cole’s injury could’ve been devastating. However, despite all the question marks, the Yankees’ pitching staff has risen to the occasion. As a staff, the Yankees are the best in ERA, batting average against, and hits. They are also ranked in the top three for strikeouts, saves, and WHIP as well. Despite not having Cole, the Yankees’ starting rotation has been dominant. Carlos Rodon and Nestor Cortes seem to have put last year’s struggles behind them. Marcus Stroman looks like the best free-agent pitcher signed from this past offseason. Before going on the injured list, Clarke Schmidt had shown tremendous growth from last season. Luis Gil has arguably been the story of the entire season of not just the Yankees but baseball overall. Gerrit Cole will return soon to a fantastic situation.
The Offense Has Been Explosive
The Yankees offense has rebounded from their disastrous 2023 season. So far this season, the Yankees are averaging 4.9 runs per game and lead the league in home runs. The team is getting contributions from up and down the lineup. Aaron Judge and Juan Soto are giving Yankees fans the offensive output they envisioned. Anthony Volpe is making huge strides in his development. Alex Verdugo has completely transformed the clubhouse culture and balanced out the lineup nicely. Giancarlo Stanton has looked the best he’s been in a while. Jose Trevino continues to show just how valuable he is both offensively and defensively. After a slow start, Gleyber Torres has been making some progress. The Yankees also got back DJ LaMahieu who spent a majority of the first half of the season on the injured list.
The Team Has Been Dominant
Embed from Getty ImagesDespite not being fully healthy, the Yankees have gone 16-2-2 in their season series this year. They even exorcised a demon by dominating the hated Houston Astros in their two regular-season series, losing to them only once. New York has gone an impressive 16-8 against teams with a .500 or better record. The Bronx Bombers have also fared well in one-run games, going 10-6. The most amazing thing about the Yankees is that they’ve had 18 come-from-behind wins this season. Three of their comebacks have come in the ninth inning.
This Team Wants To Be The One To Number 28
Embed from Getty ImagesIt has been 14 years since the New York Yankees last hoisted a World Series trophy. The only regular players on the team that have tasted championship champagne is Anthony Rizzo and Juan Soto. This group is hungrier than ever to bring back a championship back to New York. With the team getting healthier and firing on all cylinders, anything is possible. This team is hungrier than ever to win a championship and bring a ticker tape parade to New York City.
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