Are the Yankees Legit?
Do the Bronx Bombers need to make another move this season???
Juan Soto does not look human right now as he leads the way for this Yankees team as they sit atop the American League standings with a 24-13 record (T-1st with Orioles 23-12). The Yankees are not only one of the most dangerous teams in the American League, but they are right now a top-5 team in all of professional baseball. The entire pitching staff has managed to put up a cumulative 2.94 ERA (2nd best in MLB) as well as earn 24 Wins (3rd best in MLB). This is all being done without Gerrit Cole (2023 AL Cy Young Winner)!
On top of that the bullpen has also been able to lock down 16 Saves which leads all of major league baseball. Clay Holmes (11 Saves) has had a big part to play in that but guys like Ron Marinaccio, Luke Weaver, Ian Hamilton, Caleb Ferguson, Victor Gonzalez, and Nick Burdi have all done their part to help bolster this bullpen.Â
Nestor Cortes, Marcus Stroman, Luis Gil, Carlos Rodon, and Clarke Schmidt have more than held down the fort while Gerrit Cole has been shelved on the IL. Having all of these pitchers come together following last year's pitching woes is a dream come true for New York fans so far in 2024. Luis Gil has looked outstanding to this point of the season. Rodon looks like he is getting back to his 2021-2022 form. Stroman is walking more hitters than usual but I cannot complain as the staff has been lights out plain and simple.
Anthony Volpe is only 23 years old and starting to really come along in his professional career as he holds down shortstop for the Bronx Bombers. Volpe has already accumulated a 1.6 WAR this season which is the 2nd highest on the team to date. If Gleyber Torres, Anthony Rizzo, Alex Verdugo, and Giancarlo Stanton all can be somewhat productive in this lineup throughout the regular season this is going to not only be one of the best pitching teams but also one of the best hitting teams in all of baseball. Aaron Judge is currently batting .222 and has not started to cook yet this season which will change for the better.
One would have to imagine if Judge gets hot and Gerrit Cole is able to return to play sooner rather than later the Yankees could maybe earn the title as the best team in baseball? That is a big claim but they are playing like it right now. The bats are currently ranked top-10 in all of the following statistical categories Hits (8th), Runs (8th), HR (3rd), RBI (7th), TB (8th), BB (2nd), AVG (8th), OBP (2nd), SLG (9th) and OPS (6th). Can’t really ask for it to get much better. Or can you? Judge will get back to form soon enough and I think the Yankees are a couple of depth moves away from being a real threat to the top teams across the league.
Cashman has been aggressive this offseason by adding players like Soto, Stroman, Verdugo, and Grisham. I really hope this continues and the Yankees take advantage of early fire sales to ensure depth for a playoff run. I don’t hate the idea of giving teams like the Rockies, Athletics, White Sox, or Marlins a call and seeing what bats or arms are available…maybe even a Jesus Luzardo or Luis Robert Jr. discussion if I am getting greedy!
All in all, I think General Manager Brian Cashman has done a great job this year (despite my previous statements…opinions can change!) to make this team a real contender. I would love to see what it looks like when it all comes together with Jasson Dominguez, Gerrit Cole, and a productive Aaron Judge.