Yankees heart of the order is the best in baseball

The Yankees heart of the order is the most dangerous in baseball, and it’s not even close.

If anybody has any doubts just take a look at what they’ve done over the past two days in the Bronx. In the Yankees home opener, it was Didi Gregorius who stole the show with two bombs and eight RBI. Yesterday it was the power trio of Judge, Stanton, and Sanchez each launching two-run home runs.

Both performances came against a mediocre Rays team, but with those four hitters in the middle of this Yankee order, it’s not going to matter who the opponent is. From top to bottom the Yankees have one of the most relentless lineups in baseball, but 2-5 is the part that is going to give pitchers nightmares throughout the season.

It’s a foursome that combined for 169 home runs a season ago. A total that was better than four major league teams including the Red Sox.

Even before the Yanks added last year’s NL MVP Stanton and his 59 home runs this was a lineup that was projected to be among the best. In Didi, Judge, and Sanchez, the Yankees already had three blossoming superstars who are just entering the prime of their careers.

We know how Sanchez and Judge have posted historical home run totals to start their careers, but it’s Didi who has flown under the radar more than any Yankees player. Since he’s been in pinstripes he has improved his offensive numbers across the board setting new career highs with each passing season. In a league filled with superstar shortstops, Didi’s name is often forgotten despite the fact that you could make a legitimate case for him to be among the best.

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He’s the lineup’s most clutch performer and the much-needed lefty power source that Aaron Boone can place in between the power righty-hitting trio. Size wise he fails in comparison, but right now he’s their four-hitter against right-handed pitching and when it comes to batting average and putting the ball in play consistently with pop there’s nobody better than Didi.

So far this season he looks like he’s about to have another career year so hopefully, he will finally get the credit that’s been long overdue.

It’s crazy to think that a guy who’s coming off a 25 home run, 87 RBI season is considered the fourth most powerful hitter in a team’s lineup. It’s even crazier when the third most is probably the best all-around hitter on the team. So while Judge and Stanton deservedly get all the focus because of their 50 plus home-run totals it’s Didi and Sanchez that really take this lineup to an absurd level.

That’s certainly not to take anything away from the two big guys because when they are at their best they’ve proven to be the two most dangerous hitters in the game today. If you make a mistake to them you’re going to pay and if you try to make them chase they’re going to lay off and take a walk. They’re not only going to compete with each other for the team lead in home runs but also walks which in essence should provide more RBI opportunities for the big bats behind them in the order.

With the way the Yankees have been lined up over the first six games, with Didi and Sanchez flip-flopped in the four and five whole, every one of them is going to benefit from being surrounded by each other in the order. The beauty is that on any given night it could be a different guy leading the way because they don’t need all four to produce in order to win. That’s already been the case to start the season and it’s a testament to how strong this lineup is in the middle of the order.

There are no breaks trying to get through these guys and the last thing a pitcher wants to do is put one of them on base because of who is due up to follow them. That will lead to more pitches to hit towards the middle of the strike zone and a ton of offensive production.

Next: Is Brandon Drury the Yankees next breakout star?

It’s still early on in the season but after six games there’s no doubt this Yankees lineup has the potential to be special. With their incredible heart of the order leading the way, they have a chance to be one of the greatest offenses the game has seen in recent memory.