As if things couldn’t get any worse for the New York Yankees during their mid-summer skid, captain Aaron Judge is now on the injured list. Though the severity of the injury is uncertain, what is certain is that New York will miss the frontrunner for the AL MVP very, very much. But even though Judge leads the league in several key stats, the Yankees are not necessarily out of the playoff picture. They lead MLB in team OPS (.787), and they now have several key players who can step up in Judge’s absence.
Yankees Offense Can Adjust Without Aaron Judge
New Additions
New York added two infielders this past week, first Ryan McMahon from the Colorado Rockies and then Amed Rosario from the Washington Nationals. Both players have been above-average this season, with McMahon standing out thanks to his defense and Rosario posting his best offensive season since he was with Cleveland in 2022. McMahon, who is slashing .222/.320/.407 with 16 home runs, solves the Yanks’ third base problem that has plagued them for years. Rosario will likely be more of a matchup-based platoon player thanks to his ability to hit left-handed pitching, but he’ll still see significant playing time throughout the rest of the season.
Key Players Are Stepping Up
As much as losing Judge stings, the Yankees are getting MVP-caliber play from another one of their outfielders: Cody Bellinger. The utility outfielder has been on an absolute tear since starting his career in pinstripes on a slower note. Over his past 30 games, the 30-year-old veteran has an OPS of 1.036 with a .349 average, 10 homers, and 22 RBIs. Plus, this is just the offensive side of his game, since his defensive numbers are just as good. He currently ranks 16th among qualified outfielders in fielding run value while playing all three positions in the outfield (and occasionally first base). These aren’t just the numbers of a solid no. 2 outfielder; with Judge out of the lineup for at least a few weeks, Bellinger is now the team’s MVP.
It’s not just Bellinger who is stepping up at the plate, though. Jazz Chisholm Jr is also becoming the star player that the Yankees hoped he would be when they acquired him from the Miami Marlins during last year’s trade deadline. His 18 home runs are the most on the team outside of Judge and Bellinger, and he boasts an OPS of .891 over his last 30 games. Not to mention, he is once again playing excellent defense after moving back to his natural position at second base.
Hope Is Not Lost
So while it may seem like Judge was carrying the Yankees’ offense on his back, New York has more cogs in the wheel than it initially seemed just a few months ago. Even Jasson Dominguez and Trent Grisham are putting up above-average stats. With their newly acquired infielders, they are surely going to be receiving more offensive contributions from the infield.
While pitching remains an issue, the lineup is not something that the Yankees should worry too much about, even without their two-time MVP. Before play begins on Monday, New York sits 5.5 games back of the Toronto Blue Jays in the AL East and is currently in the first Wild Card spot in the American League. Though the Yankees’ hopes of winning the division are dimmer without Judge, their playoff hopes are just as alive as they were at the start of the season.
Main Photo Credits: John Jones-Imagn Images
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