New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone is uncertain about what it will take to prepare his team for a strong start to the postseason. However, he’s hopeful as the Yankees gear up for their World Series run.
His uncertainty is understandable; despite having the best record in the AL, the team has significant concerns throughout its roster, particularly in the starting rotation and lineup.
Right now, the only starting pitcher fans can rely on is Gerrit Cole. After him, the situation becomes worrisome. In his last outing, Marcus Stroman faltered, allowing six runs in just 3.1 innings when the Yankees had a chance to secure their division.
Luis Gil has given up 10 runs over his last two starts, while Clarke Schmidt allowed seven runs in 9.1 innings across his final two games.
Carlos Rodon has been relatively solid, giving up two earned runs or fewer in his last five starts, but he has concerning statistics.
When the Yankees score between 0 and 2 runs for him, he has an alarming 8.01 ERA, which is troubling as the playoffs approach. Additionally, Rodon’s postseason record is poor, with a 13.50 ERA in two games.
At the plate, the Yankees can rely on Aaron Judge and Juan Soto, but the rest of the lineup is precarious.
Giancarlo Stanton is unpredictable, and while Jazz Chisholm Jr. has performed decently since joining the team, he hit only .233/.300/.344 in his last 24 games. Gleyber Torres ended the season strong (.333/.387/.472 in September/October) but may regress.
Other potential starters are hitting below .250 and slugging under .400. Even Austin Wells, who stepped up as a key hitter, struggled in the last month, posting a line of .111/.217/.194.
Despite these issues, the Yankees still have a chance for success. They will face a Wild Card team first and have home-field advantage throughout the AL playoffs.
With no clear favorite to win the championship this year—illustrated by the fact that even the top-ranked Los Angeles Dodgers fell short of 100 wins—there’s a glimmer of hope. With a bit of luck, the Yankees could start strong this Saturday and aim for their 28th title.
