Tuesday, July 15, 2025

A Lot of Ifs As Yankees Trudge Into the All-Star Break

Last Tuesday night, the Yankees started a homestand with 3 games against the Seattle Mariners. Will Warren took a shutout into the 6th inning. Jeff Hartlieb was awful in the 8th, otherwise the bullpen did well. Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Wells hit home runs, and the Yankees won, 10-3.

Wednesday night marked the major league debut of Cam Schlittler. That's Cameron John Schlittler, a 24-year-old righthander from the Boston suburb of Walpole, Massachusetts, meaning he probably grew up as a Red Sox fan; with the even more unfortunate status of literally having "Hitler" in his name.

He was given the Number 31 formerly worn by Hall-of-Famers Dave Winfield and Tim Raines, pitched 5 1/3rd innings, and allowed 3 runs on 4 hits and 2 walks, striking out 7. Not bad, if you can score at least 4 runs for him. He got 4 runs just from Jazz Chisholm, who hit 2 home runs, and the Yankees won, 9-6.

Thursday night was a bit more complicated. Marcus Stroman allowed 2 runs over 5 innings. But Clayton Beeter allowed 3 over the next 2. Bryan Woo pitched a no-hitter through 7 innings, and had a 5-0 lead to work with.

Chisholm led off the bottom of the 8th with a single. Ben Rice singled him over to 3rd. Wells got him home with a sacrifice fly. Woo was relieved by Matt Brash. Anthony Volpe, still in a rotten slump, struck out.Stanton pinch-hit for Jorbit Vivas, and crushed one to make it 5-3.

Ian Hamilton held the Mariners off in the top of the 9th. Trent Grisham led off the bottom of the 9th with a single. Judge flew out. Cody Bellinger singled. Chisholm flew out. Rice walked to load the bases. Wells singled to right, scoring Grisham, and Bellinger made a fantastic slide to avoid the tag of Mariner catcher Cal Raleigh -- he of the 36 home runs and the nickname "Big Dumper." Tie ballgame.

Devin Williams held the M's off in the top of the 10th. With 1 out in the bottom of the 10th, Paul Goldschmidt was intentionally walked, Grisham was unintentionally walked to load the bases, and Judge hit a sacrifice fly to win it, 6-5, and complete the sweep.

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The official, if not numerical, 1st half of the season ended with a home Interleague series against the Chicago Cubs, who are leading the National League Central Division. Carlos Rodón was brilliant on Friday night, pitching 8 shutout innings, allowing 4 hits and 1 walk, striking out 8. Cody Bellinger had a career night: 3-for-5 with 3 home runs, just missing a 4th on a great catch, with 6 RBIs. Paul Goldschmidt also went 3-for-5, with 2 RBIs. The Yankees won, 11-0.

The Yankees could have used some of those runs over the next 2 games. Max Fried had a blister on his thumb, and had to leave the Saturday game after 3 innings, allowing 4 runs. The bullpen allowed only 1 run in 6 innings, but, aside from Judge's 3 hits, including his 35th home run, the Yankees only had 3 other baserunners, and lost, 5-2.

On Sunday, Warren allowed 2 runs in 5 1/3rd innings. But Shota Imanaga, the Cubs' Japanese pitcher, was fantastic. The Yankees only got 2 hits: A home run from Stanton and a single by Wells. The Cubs won, 4-0.

*

The Yankees trudge into the All-Star Break at 53-43, a pace to go 89-73. They are 2 games behind the Toronto Blue Jays in the American League Eastern Division. If the current standings hold until the end of the season, they would have the 4th seed in the AL Playoffs.

They have reached this point despite having ace Gerrit Cole out for the season, with Tommy John surgery; having Number 2 starter Luis Gil out for the season thus far, though he is now making minor-league rehab appearances; having starter Clarke Schmidt on the Injured List twice, including now, for the season, with TJS; having starter Marcus Stroman also spend time on the Injured List; still not having a reliable closer, as neither Luke Weaver nor new acquisition Devin Williams having secured the job; having Giancarlo Stanton on the Injured List until recently; having to let DJ LeMahieu go, as his injuries have rendered him a shell of his former self, forcing a move of Chisholm from 3rd base to 2nd base, and leaving Oswald Peraza at 3rd; having Anthony Volpe in a terrible slump.

The Yankees start the 2nd half of the season on Friday, away to the Atlanta Braves. Which is lucky for All-Stars Judge, Chisholm and Rodón, since they can stay in Atlanta, without having to fly back to New York, and then fly to the next city with the team, because they're already in the next city. (Rodón was named to the AL All-Star Team to replace Fried.)

Since its formation in 1969, the average number of games needed to win the AL East -- that is to say, the average number of the team that finishes 2nd in the Division, plus one -- is 93. To get to 93 wins, the Yankees would, over the season's last 66 games, have to go 40-26, a 98-win pace.

Can they do it? If Gil comes back strong, Stanton keeps up his current place, Volpe snaps out of it, and either Peraza starts hitting or general manager Brian Cashman gets a better player for 3rd base, maybe they can.

That's a lot of ifs. 

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