After making some big moves in the offseason, the New York Yankees began the year as one of the favorites to win it all. Less than four months later, the team with the second-highest payroll in the majors sits in last place in the American League East.
The Yankees have lost 11 of their last 16 games and are currently on a four-game losing streak. Their offense ranks 29th in the league in hits (734), 28th in batting average (.230) and 22nd in OPS (.705). It is a stark contrast from the 2022 Yankees team that led the MLB in home runs, ranked second in runs and fourth in team OPS.
In a recent episode of the Foul Territory Podcast, Ken Rosenthal discussed the state of the Yankees and how the club might approach the trade deadline. The well-known MLB reporter was brutally honest in his assesment of the team's offense.
"It looks awful...a team that has nothing going offensively," said Rosenthal
Rosenthal states that while the Yankees are unlikely to throw in the towel, it is hard to justify adding big name stars if the bats continue to slump.
"Will the #Yankees concede? @Ken_Rosenthal doesn't think so. Full episode: https://youtube.com/watch" - Foul Territory
Since the toe injury to Aaron Judge on June 3rd, the Yankees have not been the same. The lineup is averaging just 3.75 runs per game without their captain over the last 37 games. Remove the 10 and 11 runs they scored in back-to-back games versus the lowly Oakland Athletics, that number drops to 3.37.
Prior to the Aaron Judge injury, the New York Yankees averaged 4.72 runs per game.
The New York Yankees are at risk of missing out on the postseason for the first time since 2016
Several players are struggling as we approach the latter stages of the season. Former MVPs Josh Donaldson and Giancarlo Stanton are batting .142 and .198, respectively. 2022 All-Star Jose Trevino has a .569 OPS, while Anthony Rizzo has not recorded a home run since May 20th.
"Ohtani isn't real" - The Game Day MLB
It has been a difficult two-month stretch and the New York Yankees are spiraling at a crucial stage of the season. With just 65 games remaining, the offense needs to pull their socks up if this team has any chance of making the playoffs.