The Yankees have an undiagnosable problem, and with out a clear prognosis, there could be no prescription.
This extends effectively past the 2025 Bombers, their signature head-scratching and considerably brainless play on the sector has plagued them courting again to 2021. Performs like Jazz Chisholm Jr. getting doubled up at first base on a pop fly to second or Jasson Dominguez recurrently throwing to the mistaken base, permitting runners to advance into scoring place, have grow to be widespread for the pinstripers.
But most trendy metrics will let you know the Yanks are literally a beautiful workforce whose anticipated outcomes are much better than what we’ve seen. The entrance workplace is probably going taking a look at comparable figures and scratching its head.
The have amassed essentially the most WAR of any workforce in baseball at 38.9. Their anticipated win-loss is 65-49 and so they have the most effective run differential within the American League at +88 getting into Wednesday afternoon’s sport towards the Texas Rangers.
So what’s it? What’s mistaken with this workforce that’s recurrently stuffed with a number of the most proficient gamers within the sport?
The 2 hottest theories level to 2 folks, Aaron Boone and Brian Cashman. The supervisor will all the time be on the new seat when a workforce is struggling — and doubtless rightfully so, with Boone’s continued use of Devin Williams.
Nonetheless, is it actually Boone — a baseball-lifer from one of many nice baseball households — that’s missing in instructing the basics of baseball? That’s a tricky principle to push, even when he doesn’t precisely maintain the workforce’s toes to the hearth after obvious errors. Although it’s equally tough to argue that Boone is doing a lot to unravel this deficiency.
So then is it actually Cashman? After delivering a universally praised commerce deadline, forming top-of-the-line bullpens — on paper, in fact — in baseball, the membership has been on a five-game shedding streak. Cashman’s groups are usually among the many prime three in betting odds to win the World Sequence earlier than the season begins, however regardless of turning the roster over virtually fully within the final 4 years, this development has endured.
The true Bombers additionally rear their ugly head at across the similar actual time every season. Simply take a look at the final two Yankee groups that made it so far as the ALCS. In 2022, they went 13-13 in July and 10-18 in August. In 2024, they went 11-13 in July and carried the struggles into early August. This workforce is heading on the identical actual observe with a 12-13 report in July and beginning off August on a five-game shedding streak.
It begins to really feel like watching the identical season over and over, and essentially the most baffling half is that when these groups are good, they’re actually good. This membership for instance began off 39-23, wanting just like the clear favorites to signify the AL within the World Sequence for the second yr in a row. They have been even enjoying respectable, good protection. After which, as scheduled, the wheels fell off to the place they’re now, 60-54 and in third-place.
The stats solely make the fall-off extra complicated. The Bombers enter Wednesday with 5 gamers boasting an OPS north of .800 — Aaron Decide, Trent Grisham, Jazz Chisholm Jr., Giancarlo Stanton and Cody Bellinger. They lead baseball in each OPS and homers whereas rating tenth in starters’ ERA. They’re tied for twelfth in workforce defensive runs (22) saved, which signifies their protection has been no less than above common on the entire.
All of those components let you know two issues. One, that the stats are a mirage, as a result of wherever the Yankees rank in these respective classes doesn’t point out how grueling it has been to observe them play baseball.
The second is that there’s undeniably a difficulty lurking someplace beneath that mirage. The consistency of ugly stretches over the previous couple of seasons is not a coincidence. Certain, in years previous you would level to possibly too many righties within the lineup or not sufficient athleticism and loads of different on-field components. Nonetheless, this workforce was constructed for steadiness, protection and towards virtually every little thing the Bombers groups of the latest previous stood for.
But, the identical issues seem no matter personnel. You’ll be able to guess at what’s the root of those struggles, nonetheless, you’ll almost definitely be left scratching your head as you do whereas watching the 2025 Yankees.
