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New York Yankees Editorial: Can The Yankees Count On Alex Rodriguez?

By Harrison Marder

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Prior to the start of the 2015 season, there was no bigger question mark for the New York Yankees than Alex Rodriguez.

Where would he hit in the lineup? Could he play the field? How many home runs can he hit? Does he even have anything left?

Ironically, as the season progressed, Rodriguez went from being a player who was surrounded by speculation, to a player whose value was unquestionable to his team’s success.

Rodriguez’s numbers this season have come as a surprise to many. The 40-year-old designated hitter has put together an eye-catching campaign in which he has collected 32 home runs and 85 RBIs.

Before the season began, the Yankees would have undoubtedly signed up for the type of year Rodriguez has had offensively. However, would the team have signed up for such a season knowing that they would need to rely heavily on Rodriguez’s offense come October?

Inconsistency has been the name of the game for the Yankees offense in 2015. One night, they score 20 runs and look like a juggernaut. The next night, they manage only one run and look hapless. In the nine games since scoring 11 runs against the New York Mets on September 20, the Yankees have managed to score a total of just 26 runs. That averages out to less than three runs per game in that span.

This lack of offense comes at a particularly troubling time for the Bronx Bombers. With the all-important AL Wild Card game less than a week away, the offense needs to be clicking on all cylinders, not floundering. The Yankees are second in all of baseball in terms of total runs this season, and will need to lean heavily on their offense to help them win games in the postseason. Quality starting pitching has been at a premium for the Yankees all season long, so the team will likely have to slug its way to victory in October.

That is exactly where Rodriguez comes in. He sits in the middle of a lineup that desperately needs a power surge. Mark Teixeira is done for the season. The combined struggles of Brett Gardner and Jacoby Ellsbury have been well documented. Rodriguez, even after multiple hip surgeries and his lengthy suspension, needs to be the spark to ignite a listless offense.

Some might find it crazy, even laughable, that the Yankees are going to rely on contributions from Rodriguez in the postseason. On the other hand, the Yankees might not have even made it this far without Rodriguez.

In the AL, Rodriguez’s 32 home runs rank 10th, and his 85 RBI’s are good for 16th best. While these might not be the numbers of old for Rodriguez, they certainly have been good enough to get the Yankees back into the postseason for the first time in three years.

Yet, just like the rest of his Yankee teammates, Rodriguez has been struggling lately. In his last 10 games, Rodriguez is hitting just .172. He has not hit a home run since September 15 against the Tampa Bay Rays. Getting numbers like these straightened out before the postseason begins is crucial for both Rodriguez and the Yankees.

All of the questions that were asked about Rodriguez prior to the start of the season have been answered in resounding fashion. Rodriguez has not only proved that he can contribute, he has proved that he can still be one of the main sources of offense for a playoff team.

Despite what he has already given them, a downtrodden Yankee lineup looks toward Rodriguez to guide them through the postseason. Can Rodriguez muster up even more offense, or will he will falter when his team needs him the most?

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