It’s been an emotional rollercoaster for Yankees fans this summer. The team is 18-28 over its last 46 games, and its 5-18 road record since June 13 is the worst in Major League Baseball.
On Friday night against the Miami Marlins, with three newly acquired bullpen arms debuting, all three got rocked, combining to give up nine earned runs in just 2.1 innings. On Monday night in Texas against the Rangers, Devin Williams blew a save, and one of those new relievers, Jake Bird, served up a walk-off three-run home run to Josh Jung.
It feels like rock bottom.
And yet, there are plenty of reasons for Yankees fans to believe a turnaround is not only possible, but likely.
First, Aaron Judge is back. The MVP front-runner had been sidelined with a right flexor strain, but he took batting practice Monday and is on track to return against the Rangers. When healthy, Judge changes the entire identity of the lineup, and his return couldn’t come at a better time. Despite all the struggles, the Yankees are still within striking distance of both the AL East and the top seed in the American League.
There’s also reason to believe the bullpen will rebound. Yes, the debut of the new trio Bird, David Bednar, and Camilo Doval was an outright disaster, but it’s hard to imagine things getting any worse than Friday night. These are proven arms who didn’t forget how to pitch overnight.
Did they hit rock bottom? Probably. But relief performance tends to even out, and the Yankees now have more high-leverage options than they’ve had all year.
One of the brightest spots in recent weeks on offense has been the emergence of Anthony Volpe. Since the All-Star break, the shortstop has slashed .263/.295/.684 with a .979 OPS, seven home runs, and a .403 wOBA in 16 games.
Behind this power surge is real change. His swing speed is up 1.0 mph, he’s pulling the ball more (46.5%), lifting it more (51.2% fly balls), and making better contact in the zone. It’s a leap that could shift the lineup’s ceiling dramatically if it continues.
The Yankees will be hoping that this resurgence will give the 24-year-old shortstop more confidence, something he can carry into the field as he looks to return to Gold Glove-caliber form.
Offensively, the Yankees’ recent slump hides the full-season production numbers. They still lead MLB in wRC+, wOBA, slugging, home runs, walk rate, and runs scored. Even through inconsistency, this is statistically the best offense in baseball and should only get better.
The team’s schedule is also set to become more favorable. The Yankees have six games against the Twins, seven against the Orioles, three against the Nationals, and seven more against the White Sox. In fact, their final 13 games in September are all against Minnesota, Baltimore, and Chicago, opportunities to climb the standings and build momentum heading into October.
So yes, things have looked bleak, but Judge is coming back, Volpe is breaking out, and the bullpen can’t possibly be worse. The offense remains elite on paper, and the schedule is softening at just the right time.
There’s still time for a late-season push. And Yankees fans have every reason to believe it’s coming.
