Yankees' biggest issue has nothing to do with Aaron Judge and fans should be raging

Of late, the story of the American League East (and all of Major League Baseball, for that matter) is not the New York Yankees but their archrival, the Boston Red Sox. Boston is on an insane run that has people losing their minds, and one impressive aspect of the Red Sox's winning bonanza is that they've done it entirely without two of their best players, Roman Anthony and Garrett Crochet.

Boston's magical season, in light of its superstar absences, stands in violent contrast to the Yankees' performance this season without their superstar Aaron Judge, who's been out since May 31 while nursing a fractured rib.

While Boston's offense eventually found its groove (and then some) without Anthony, and its starting rotation doesn't seem to need Crochet, the Yankees' offense has crumbled without Judge (and Giancarlo Stanton). It's gotten to the point where Judge's absence can't be blamed for such pathetic production. This is a lineup that still features two former MVPs in Cody Bellinger and Paul Goldschmidt, a possible future MVP in Ben Rice, and a two-time All-Star and 2025 Silver Slugger in Jazz Chisholm Jr.

How on Earth is a lineup featuring those bats, as well as slug-capable guys like Trent Grisham and Spencer Jones, struggling to create virtually any offense at all? The answer lies in the Yankees' inexcusable and unexplainable failure to perform with runners in scoring position since Judge's departure from the lineup.

The Yankees are the worst-performing offense in MLB with runners in scoring position

We're not talking about a couple of bad weeks with RISP. June 1 to August 5 is a massive sample size, and one that indicates that even once Judge returns, his supporting cast of bats will still stink with men on base. By the way, we can't expect Judge to be Superman when he returns from multiple months off (with a not-perfectly-healed ribcage, in all likelihood).

Yankees' surprisingly effective bullpen has gone to waste

The Yanks have established some consistency and swagger with their reliever corps since June, and it's a shame that such work has been made a moot point by the lifeless offense.

Far less talented lineups than the Judge-less Yankees find ways to manufacture runs and convert with RISP. You can even argue that the Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays have less-talented lineups than the Yankees' current lineup that's missing Judge, Stanton, and Cody Bellinger. And yet, the Red Sox and Rays have leaned into bunting, base-stealing, and timely hitting in ways the 2026 Yankees aren't even close to approaching.

It's a cultural problem or a mindset problem for the Yankees -- not a depth chart one. There's plenty of talent still on the lineup card every day. For whatever reason, all of the competitive energy and momentum in the division lies with two clubs not named the Yankees. Judge's return isn't going to completely transform that situation. Yankees fans have a right to be confused and upset.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow