Sometimes a team holds it together with duct tape and adrenaline. That’s where the Yankees find themselves right now.
The 2025 season was never going to be smooth, not with Gerrit Cole out, Jazz Chisholm sidelined, and a rotating cast of infield placeholders.
But despite the bruises and bruised egos, the Yankees are still very much in the fight.
Max Fried is the ace they paid for — and then some
With Cole out for the year recovering from Tommy John, Max Fried had to carry the torch. He didn’t just carry it—he lit the whole stadium with it.
Across 51.2 innings, Fried owns a jaw-dropping 1.01 ERA. On Wednesday against San Diego, he struck out eight across seven innings, surrendering just one run.
He’s limiting hard contact, forcing ground balls at a 52% clip, and showing every bit of the dominance the Yankees banked on when handing him $218 million. Fried isn’t just filling a void. He’s erasing doubts about the rotation’s future.
The bullpen is heating up, and help is on the way
Early bullpen struggles gave fans flashbacks to 2023, but this group is starting to look dangerous again.
With a 3.31 ERA and momentum trending upward, the Yankees are getting quality innings from unexpected places. And the cavalry is coming.
Jonathan Loaisiga, who’s thrown just 21.2 innings since 2023, struck out two batters in a two-inning Triple-A rehab appearance. He’s expected to return around May 18.
If his velocity holds up and the command is there, the Yankees are about to add a former 2.17 ERA weapon to the late-inning mix.
Ben Rice’s emergence may cause a good problem
Few expected 26-year-old Ben Rice to be a top-three bat in the Yankees’ order. But he’s forced the issue.
Rice is slashing .254/.351/.553 with eight home runs, ranking in the 90th percentile or better in exit velocity, barrel rate, and hard-hit percentage.
As Giancarlo Stanton nears a return from elbow injuries, the team faces a dilemma: who starts at DH? The solution may be a platoon, with Rice crushing righties and Stanton attacking left-handers.
Either way, Rice’s breakout has given this lineup the left-handed pop it was desperate for.
Third base is a void that needs filling
Oswaldo Cabrera is a glue guy, not a long-term third baseman. He’s hitting .247/.327/.301 with a single home run and a weak .628 OPS.
His defensive metrics are sliding too, with five errors and -1 DRS in 239 innings.
Nolan Arenado has been floated as a trade target, but unless the Cardinals eat a large chunk of his contract, Brian Cashman is unlikely to pull the trigger.
Until then, it’s a carousel of Cabrera, Peraza, and Pablo Reyes—and that’s not good enough for October baseball.
Catching depth quietly took a leap
When the Yankees dealt Jose Trevino to the Reds in exchange for Fernando Cruz, they had a plan. And out of the shadows, J.C. Escarra is executing it.
The 29-year-old was on the verge of quitting baseball this spring. Now, he’s one of MLB’s best framers with a 53.8% strike rate.
He won a walk-off on Wednesday with a sacrifice fly and is displaying elite plate discipline and bat speed. The offense will come. The glove’s already arrived.
Spencer Jones’ setback is just that — a setback
Jones was putting together a promising 2025 at Double-A Somerset: .228/.372/.554 with nine homers and a 165 wRC+ in just 26 games.
His 36.3% strikeout rate remains a concern, but his 17.7% walk rate and power growth are real.
Now on the 7-day IL, the Yankees are hopeful the injury isn’t long-term. If Jones can return this month, his path toward Triple-A remains very much intact.
Carlos Carrasco is gone, and the door is open
With Carrasco’s 5.91 ERA finally catching up to him, the Yankees designated the 38-year-old for assignment Tuesday afternoon.
His spot in the rotation is up for grabs—and 29-year-old Allan Winans could be next.
Winans holds a 0.00 ERA over 14 innings in Triple-A with a 15.43 K/9 and a 57.7% ground ball rate. He doesn’t throw hard but uses command and deception to dominate.
He’ll get his shot soon unless Brian Cashman makes a trade, which might not come until closer to July.
Cody Bellinger is finally stirring to life
Yankees fans were running out of patience with Bellinger, who hit just .215/.288/.388 through April.
But over the past two weeks, he’s climbed to .239/.345/.435 and belted a critical game-tying homer off Dylan Cease on Wednesday.
Bellinger is heating up—and if he stays hot, this offense might finally start firing on all cylinders.
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