The Yankees decision to move some big name players before the trade deadline was a great step forward for the team. They have some of the best prospects in baseball and the future is looking bright for them. There is still some fighting for this team to do this season.
Manager Joe Girardi said “I don’t ever wave a white flag” meaning he will not concede that this season is done. This team is ready to jump at the chance to redeem themselves for the way they have started their season. The Yankees do not what to just make their record look respectable, they want to make the playoffs.
The Yankees parted ways with one of their hottest hitters this season in Carlos Beltran. Age was a factor in this decision as the 39 year old outfielder might be nearing the end of his career. That trade means the Yankees need to step it up on offense.
The one bright spot in the batting order right now is Didi Gregorius. He has been on fire with a batting average of .290 and he can be the leader of this offense when they need runs. They Yankees need the beginning of their lineup to be more productive so they can get on base and get runs driven in.
Pitching has also been a problem for the Yankees throughout the first half of the season and has continued in the second half. The problem with the pitching is not the pitching itself, but it is the lack of run support provided by the offense.
Offensive problems cause defensive problems for any team, but this season it has hit the Yankees hard. There is no question that these problems will be fixed with the new prospects they have, as for now the team has to adjust during the remainder of the season. If they want to make a playoff push they will have to start making changes.
The Yankees moved Andrew Miller and Aroldis Chapman before the trade deadline and that ended the “No Run DMC” era. Moving these pitchers was a must for the Yankees, but now that Dellin Betances is the closer he needs to pick up where his former teammates left off. He will not be throwing every pitch over 100mph, but he can use his different pitches to get out of jams. Betances has power and he is capable of bringing the heat when he needs to.
The Yankees have been teetering on the .500 mark for most of the season. If they want to break this trend they need to start winning. They have found trouble keeping their bats hot and providing run support for their pitchers.
The Yankees will have a new look next year and they desperately need it because of the way they have looked the past few seasons. Winning now is a challenge they are willing to take on because some more familiar faces on the team may be gone come next season. One of those players could be Alex Rodriguez. The Yankees could be looking to part ways early with Rodriguez to make way for their prospects.