Prior to the commencement of the 2023 MLB season, New York Yankees were the most formidable team on paper. The roster list was filled with strong, potent, and experienced names. As a result, the fans piled up huge expectations and assumed that the much-awaited World Series title was just on its way to Bronx, New York.
However, all excitement and anticipation went to dust once the season began. Injuries paralyzed the lineup even before the opening day took place. Moreover, the formidable lineup failed to transfer the talent and potential from paper to the field. As a result, the team finds itself out of the playoff wild card race. But what exactly went wrong?
Failure To Upgrade The Offense Led To Yankees Fall In The First Half Of The Current Season!
As the second half of the 2023 MLB season commences on Friday, the New York Yankees will begin its campaign out of playoff contention. They rank fourth in the AL-East division, just a game below Toronto Blue Jays. Coming back to the original question, what went wrong in the first half? It’s the team’s failure to upgrade the offense during the off-season. The Bronx Bombers team is filled with middle-aged players who are past their prime, except the captain, Aaron Judge. DJ LeMahieu has barely produced anything since 2019, wherein he last made it to the All-Star. Moreover, Giancarlo Stanton is nowhere close to his MVP form.
Josh Donaldson is 37 and should not even be playing by now. Yet, the Yankees are making him play as a regular third-baseman. Also, Anthony Rizzo, who won a championship with Cubs, is hitting a mere .257 this season .753 OPS. It’s not bad, but it’s just not up to Rizzo’s standard. The point is Brian Cashman, the Yank’s general manager, made the biggest mistake during the off-season by not upgrading the roster. Even if they somehow manage to make it to the postseason with this lineup, they won’t be able to make a deep run. Change is inevitable. It’s high time the Bombers move away from their old philosophy of having a star-stubbed lineup. It is not the key to success. The club needs to do some deep thinking and build a balanced roster. As far as the current season is concerned, the ship is sinking at an alarming rate. It won’t be too long before things get unsalvageable.
Can The Yanks Still Make It To The Playoffs?
If the regular season were to end tomorrow, the Yankees would have already been on their way home. Luckily that isn’t the case. There is still a full half of the season to go from here. With just one game below the Jays currently, does the Yanks stand a chance at the playoffs? Well, as per Baseball Reference, the reigning AL-East champions still have more than a 50% chance to qualify for the postseason.
The AL-East table toppers, Tampa Bay Rays, and Baltimore Orioles, have finally landed after an early rise. On top of that, the Yankee’s next few stretches of games are relatively less competitive than the Rays or Orioles. Hence, with the potential return of captain Aaron Judge, the Bombers have a real chance to stage an inspiring comeback in the second half.
