Yankees just blew the easiest chance they'll have at winning AL East for a decade

Believe it or not, the New York Yankees are closer to being in need of a full rebuild than they are to having the kind of endless prospect pipeline that helps powerful MLB teams sustain greatness.

They won't rebuild. That'll never happen. It's far likelier that, as their top contracts age, they find a way to supplement them with a few larger deals (but not enough), treading water and refusing to let their "contention window" close. Will they be the correct "larger deals"? They never are, but the Yankees will typically approach the playoff bracket or be "playing for something" in September, which is all Hal Steinbrenner has prioritized since 2009 anyway.

Still, beyond Aaron Judge, Gerrit Cole, and a global finger-crossing regarding Juan Soto, there isn't much to bank on. Austin Wells might be a cornerstone behind the plate. Jasson Dominguez appears to have the talent, but the Yankees' lack of faith down the stretch has been disturbing. Giancarlo Stanton has been a very good Yankee, but it's surprising he's still contributing. The idea of him doing so two or three years from now would be even more stunning. Spencer Jones has solved Double-A, to an extent, but still strikes out too often for anyone's liking. Anthony Volpe has a role to play on a top team, but is it a starring one? The rotation and bullpen don't have a single long-term guarantee among them. That's, generously, one-third of a roster.

And yet, a few lightning flashes had New York in the driver's seat for the AL East title this season, riding some impressive patchwork (Luis Gil's first half) and unsustainable performances (Clay Holmes' 0.00 ERA in late May) to the top of the division. Add in the Orioles' surprising struggles and an almost Yankees-esque parade of injuries, paired with an August that should've been relatively simple for New York, and it was all (pounds table) right there in front of them.

Except now it's not. They did nothing with their opportunity, sliding behind the O's once again this week. And it may not be this "easy" again for a long time.

Yankees MLB Standings: NYY Could've Won AL East (and Will Struggle in Future Years)

Adley Rutschman, the Orioles' de facto captain, is hitting .212 in the second half, down to a 112 OPS+ on the year. Will that ever happen again? Will they ever lose Kyle Bradish, Grayson Rodriguez, Tyler Wells, Felix Bautista and Daniel Coulombe in rapid succession again? No, it's far likelier that Baltimore improves, evolving from "division challenger" to "runaway favorite," as soon as next year.

And what about (sigh) the Boston Red Sox? They're still without a lot of long-term pitching to believe in, but even after graduating so much talent to the big-league club this season and watching Jarren Duran evolve, they've still got the No. 2 prospect in all of baseball in Baseball America's newest rankings -- and it's Roman Anthony. Marcelo Mayer, Kyle Teel, and Kristian Campbell are all in the top 30. Prospects aren't the be all, end all, but it's easier to bet on the team that has them than the one that doesn't really.

Both rivals will have to supplement their cores with well-timed extensions and external spending, undoubtedly, but are well-positioned to be as bad as they'll ever be in 2024 (and both are still pretty solid). The Yankees' only real hope is that both franchises refuse, leaving their fans frustrated and wondering whether "going for it" even really exists anymore when "getting there" is ownership's preferred prize.

In other words, the Yankees' best hope is that the entire division continues to act like the Yankees.