Yankees Show Signs of Life in The Bronx


 

Last night in the Bronx was the first moment for Anthony Volpe in a Yankee uniform; and just another moment for Yankees Captain Aaron Judge. This win came on the heels of a lack luster start by Yankee Ace Gerrit Cole who went five, gave up five, walked three, and only struck out two (one of which was his 2,000th strike out [becoming the third fastest pitcher to reach the feat]).

Anthony Rizzo and Harrison Bader also gave their best efforts at the plate with the Bombers first baseman collecting three hits, and their center fielder driving in two important runs.

The Yankee bullpen did their job keeping Baltimore off the scoreboard and allowing the lineup to get back in the game. Felix Bautista, the second half of Baltimore’s back Dynamic Duo out of their bullpen,  was uncharacteristic, giving up a game-tying home run to Aaron Judge with one out in the bottom of the 9th. That long ball was only the second home run surrendered by the Baltimore right-hander and just the 8th run he has given up all year.

With the win, the Yankees move just five games back of the Tampa Bay Rays, three back of Baltimore, and improve to 10-games above .500.

After the rough start by Yankee standards, being 10-games over .500 comes almost a shock at first glance to the fanbase. Also, the Yankees move to 10-8 in the early season against AL East opponents. Which is the third best record in division behind Tampa Bay (11-8) and Baltimore (10-7). To keep pace with the Rays and Orioles—the Yankees will need to continue to play well against the division since there six few games against each divisional opponent.

Against the rest of baseball, the Yankees are 20-12.

As the calendar gets closer to Memorial Day, you are reminded again to take a deep breath with every ballclub early in the season regardless of how they start. The AL East Standings on the night May 1st had the Yankees in last place (15-15) and 8.5 games behind Tampa Bay. As the Yanks and their fans went to bed that night they had to wrestle with the worst loss of the year and what seemed like rock bottom early on in the season.

The difference since May 1st has been in the attitude of this team. That can be credited to return of Harrison Bader, then the return of their captain off the injured list. Getting these two players that play every day and impact the game nightly—has completely changed the makeup of a once barren lineup.

Make no mistakes about it, just because the lineup is producing and they’re winning games (the Bombers have the best record in baseball since May 1st at 15-6 tied with the Dodgers), Aaron Hicks no longer on the roster, and they are getting improving injury news by the day for the players on the shelf; doesn’t mean this team is ready for the postseason. There are still holes that need to be filled. There are still questions that need to be answered, a tough division to navigate, and work still needs to be done. But, for the first time this season, the New York Yankees are in a good spot. The division is up for grabs even after a historic start for the Tampa Bay Rays.

The 2023 season was supposed to be different, Anthony Volpe since Spring Training was supposed to play a big part in that change. With the game winning Sacrifice Fly to push past Baltimore last night, the rookie shortstop showed a reason why the tide is turning, and why you shouldn’t give up on these Yankees just yet.



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The 2023 Offseason is Brian Cashman's Biggest Test Yet

Image
   Now that the World Series is over five days from now the offseason begins. With that in mind, this is the biggest offseason that Brian Cashman will have in his 25-year tenure as Yankee General Manager. For the first time since 2016 the Bronx Bombers watched the postseason from their couches, and they earned that right. Amazingly, this team finished over .500, although not that far above that mark. This iteration of the Bronx Bombers finish with the same record as that 2016 team—but the feeling with this squad feels different. Following the 2016 season, there was hope of the two power bats that would usher in the “Baby Bombers,” and in that offseason, the farm system was rated in the Top 10 in all of baseball. There was almost certainty that Brian Cashman would put a championship team around Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez, Greg Bird, and Luis Severino that would be a title contender for years to come. There was hope. And that hope almost turned into reality. Almost. But, that was then
Read more

The Question going into the Trade Deadline for the New York Yankees

  There is a crossroads in the Bronx in between River and 161 st Street right now. As New York Yankee Manager Aaron Boone likes to put it “[the season] is right in front of them.” The second half of the season is for the taking. As we move into the dog days of summer the Bronx Bombers are nine games out of the division and now a game and a half out of the AL Wild Card race following a disappointing first series in Colorado. With that, the historic starting Tampa Bay Rays have cooled off, going 3-7 before the break while showing signs of being mortal. Baltimore, who has been keeping pace with Tampa, didn’t look like a Superpower when they split against the Yankees two series before the break. The AL East is still a Spartan Training Facility with every team above .500, the Orioles holding the first Wild Card spot, and the “struggling” Boston Red Sox tied the Yankees in the Wild Card race. And unlike Robin Williams in Mrs. Doubtfire, help is not on the way. Aaron Judge’s toe is still a m
Read more

The Answer for the Mets

  As Yogi Berra would say “it’s déjà vu all over again.” Buck Showalter is an all too familiar place. The 67-year-old manager has taken a time machine back to 2012. No, he is not managing in Baltimore anymore, however that’s what it feels like the end of Showalter’s Oriole tenure in Queens right now. The Mets simply can’t get out of their own way. With Pete Alonso likely headed to the Injured List, the Mets scored 10 runs last night in Atlanta. 10 runs on the heels of back-to-back gut-wrenching losses at the hands of the team that has foiled the Mets for the better part of almost three decades, the Atlanta Braves. 10 runs with their hired ace, Justin Verlander, who was looking to put together good starts consecutively for the first time all season. The Mets looked like they were about to exercise some demons in Atlanta last night, and then, the other shoe dropped. It wasn’t good enough. Again. Last night, I wrote that the Mets season was on the line with Verlander toeing the slab. Well
Read more