Two Major Problems the Yankees Need to Solve Before the All-Star Break
While the New York Yankees once had a comfortable lead in the AL East, all of that momentum has been surrendered these past two months. The team is currently on a six-game losing streak and has lost 16 of its last 22 games. They find themselves three games behind the Toronto Blue Jays, the team that just swept them in a four-game series. While there are certainly many reasons for this win drought, the consistency of the team is being put into question. Errors, bullpen mishaps, and starting pitching deficiencies have been the soundtrack of June, and these woes are continuing into July. Before the All-Star break in a little over a week, the Yankees have to find out their true identity.
Recently, pitching has been one of the biggest issues for the Yankees. While the lineup is consistently putting enough runs on the board, the bullpen continues to blow leads. Luke Weaver’s recent struggles can be attributed to his recovery from injury, but the fact that his ERA has risen from 1.05 to 3.19 since returning from the injured list is concerning. Carlos Rodón’s recent start against the New York Mets, as well as Max Fried’s recent struggles, also prove that the team cannot rely on two starters to propel them to victory. Now, with Clarke Schmidt’s injury, another question mark will be added to the rotation. If the lineup can find consistency, it’s up to the pitching to find the same stability.
Another issue that the Yankees have faced this season is less-than-impressive statistics from some of their younger players. While Anthony Volpe was projected to have his breakout season in 2025, his recent struggles have shown that it probably won’t happen. Volpe’s average for the year is now down to .222, and he has just nine hits in his last 52 at-bats. While Jazz Chisholm Jr. started the season confident at third base, it’s apparent now that he is a second baseman and should be switched back there after the trade deadline. While this problem isn’t something that can be solved before the second half of the season begins, the Yankees should begin to look for third base help on the trade market before it’s too late.
