The New York Yankees playoff campaign will be a tricky business especially with the fatigue factor kicking in. Moreover for a franchise with 27 World Series titles, expectations will sky rocket as October approaches. However, the Yanks roster is still not competent enough to perform as a complete unit.
The New York Yankees roster has multiple holes left unplugged throughout the season. That misses will haunt them in the playoffs. That being said, ahead of October, MLB pundit analysed the Bronx Bombers roster and deemed a couple of fatal flaws that could essentially keep them from winning the World Series.
Yankees Over-Dependence On Aaron Judge-Juan Soto Deemed A Fatal Flaw
Aaron Judge, the face and captain of the New York Yankees, has been a consistent force at the plate, hitting home runs at a remarkable rate and providing much-needed power in crucial moments. On the other hand, Juan Soto, a recent addition, has also quickly become an indispensable part of the lineup with his exceptional plate discipline, power, and ability to get on base. Together, they form a formidable duo, driving a significant portion of the team’s run production. Until this writing, the duo had 100 RBIs each to their names, with 90 home runs combined. However, MLB analyst Kerry Miller perceives the overreliance on just two hitters, Soto and Judge, as the Yank’s biggest fatal flaw.
Kerry Miller explained, “Aaron Judge and Juan Soto entered play Tuesday with an OPS north of 1.000 while the rest of the team had a combined mark of .684.” She noted that while the Yankees offensive production has had help from Jazz Chisholm Jr, Austin Wells, and Gleyber Torres to an extent, the hitting lineup still looks incomplete. In the postseason, the margin of error is minimal, and that could lead to a humiliating collapse. On the other hand, the absence of a reliable closer was also deemed a fatal flaw by Miller. Clay Holmes is leading MLB with a record 11 blown saves. While Luke Weaver has been a promising alternative, it’s unclear if he can be trusted to consistently pull off a job that he has no experience in whatsoever. Overall, if the Yankees hope to make a deep run this October, they will need more than just the heroics of their two superstars
Aaron Judge Hits Career Longest Home Run Drought
The New York Yankees offense has already begun to develop crack as the hottest hitter of the season has now gone 16 games without hitting a home run which is his longest career streak. Judge, who’s leading MLB with 51 season homers was on pace to hit 63 at a point. However, he hasn’t hit one in last 70 at-bats.
While slumps are not uncommon in baseball, especially over the long season, Judge’s prolonged drought is unusual given his track record. However, Aaron Judge remains optimistic and focused on finding his form again. His approach at the plate has not changed, and he continues to make solid contact, indicating that he may be close to breaking out of this slump.
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