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New York Yankees Editorial: What Do The Yanks Need For A Playoff Run?

By Antonio Mendes

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The New York Yankees and fans knew this season would depend on a lot of variables. The three main arguments at the beginning of the year were health, Alex Rodriguez, and if trades Brian Cashman made would work themselves out positively. The Yankees now head into September a game and a half behind the Toronto Blue Jays and the top three variables have changed quite a bit.

Health-wise, the Yankees have still struggled this season, though not as bad as last year, they have still called-up way more players from the minors than expected. While it is giving the organization time to actually see how their prospects can perform, the injuries are still hurting. Luckily, this team is so strong that some injuries haven’t hurt the Yankees as much as they did last year. At this point right now, Mark Teixeira is the only player injured who was on the Opening Day starting lineup. Greg Bird has taken his spot and is playing pretty well, but Teixeira needs to return soon enough to give him time to not only get the Yankees back into first place, but more importantly to find his swing for the postseason.

Next to Arod and bringing up the Opening Day lineup again. He was seventh on that card, and he now finds himself a number three bat after having an amazing year considering the circumstances. Now he must find a way to heat up again after slumping mainly throughout August and not helping with the absence of Teixeira. Before Jacoby Ellsbury and Brett Gardner, you can say Tex and Arod are the two who powered the Yankees to first place, and also to what was an eight game lead in the AL East. Now in a tight race between the two, the Yankees are banking on the Jays slowing down at some point to get that lead back. This is going to rely heavily on Arod picking it up again, because right now it’s been Carlos Beltran and Brian McCann picking up the slack on a slumping bat and injured leg.

Lastly, something that has worked out for the best are the additions made by Brian Cashman this off-season. The bullpen is easily one of, if not the best in the league, Didi Gregorius has turned into a fully-rounded player as the season goes on, and last but certainly not least, Nathan Eovaldi is currently the team’s second or third best pitcher. Did Cashman make any key moves at the trade deadline? Not necessarily, but the Yankees did bring up Luis Severino, and he has been the starting pitching addition that was needed. Now he’s here to stay and it couldn’t come at a better time with CC Sabathia going through his knee issues again. The Yanks also did this while successfully keeping Adam Warren in the bullpen might I add.

Overall, there’s not really a lot unknown in terms of what the Yankees need to do to stay in a battle for this division. They still have those seven games against the Blue Jays that will either make or break someones chances at winning the division, not to mention the whole month of September (aside from the Mets and White Sox) consists of AL East match-ups. Tex and Arod will be the biggest variables of September. Pitching has been extremely better than expected and you can’t say that many of the starters have even been that persistent.

The Yankees just need to keep those things in mind, while also staying healthy and hungry during the month of September. The temperature might start to drop, but it’s time for the team to get hotter than they’ve been all year.

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