The New York Yankees trudged through Monday’s series opener in Minnesota like a team stuck in quicksand, falling 7-0.
They mustered only a couple of hits, their bats eerily silent while the Twins pounded away and took full control early.
Manager Aaron Boone watched from the dugout, clearly aware his roster is fraying under the weight of nagging injuries.
Tuesday offers a clean slate, but Boone knows merely showing up won’t be enough against Minnesota.
With the regular season rapidly running out of runway, the Yankees can’t afford another flat, uninspired performance like Monday’s showing.
The lineup Boone rolls out on Tuesday might be his most aggressive yet, mixing urgency with a dose of calculated risk.
Judge has a big test coming
Aaron Judge has been battling through elbow issues since July, limiting his time in right field to scattered appearances.
The Yankees’ captain hasn’t played consecutive games there in months, but Boone is pressing forward with him on Tuesday.
Judge’s presence in right brings more than just defensive stability—it injects confidence into a lineup starving for it.
Seeing their leader back patrolling the grass for the second consecutive night could be inspirational for his teammates.
Judge is the kind of player whose energy ripples through the dugout like a power surge lighting up a dark stadium.
Even if he’s not fully healthy, simply watching Judge take the field knowing he is dealing with a flexor strain can remind teammates why they’re still fighting.
The Yankees desperately need their leader to be both visible and vocal as they approach the season’s final stretch.
Volpe returns as Yankees shuffle the deck
Anthony Volpe has quietly fought through a partially torn left labrum, his production sliding while he tried to push through.
Boone finally pulled him from the lineup last week to heal, and now he’s back starting at shortstop on Tuesday night.
Volpe owns a .661 OPS and an 81 wRC+ this season, numbers that reveal how compromised he’s been physically.
A healthy Volpe could stabilize the infield and give the Yankees a desperately needed spark on the bases.
That’s only if he is fully healthy, though.
His return sends Jose Caballero to the bench, a move that hints Boone is prioritizing upside over short-term safety.
If Volpe’s shoulder truly holds up, he could quickly shift from liability to catalyst in this battered Yankees lineup.
Boone is taking a calculated gamble, betting that Volpe’s upside outweighs the risk of lingering discomfort at such a crucial moment.
Yankees need to show urgency as playoff race tightens
Trent Grisham will lead off in center, hoping to set the tone ahead of Judge, who bats second in the order.
Ben Rice slides into the third spot at first base, while Cody Bellinger anchors the cleanup role in left field.
Giancarlo Stanton, suddenly slumping a bit, bats fifth as the designated hitter, trying to recapture his top form.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. follows him at second base, while Ryan McMahon bats seventh in a bid to reignite his bat.
Volpe slots eighth, trying to prove his shoulder won’t hold him back, and Austin Wells rounds out the lineup at catcher.
Cam Schlittler takes the mound, tasked with returning the Yankees to their winning ways after consecutive losses.
The Yankees trail the Toronto Blue Jays by five games in the AL East and don’t hold the tiebreaker either.
That reality has left their division hopes fading fast, like a candle fighting to stay lit in a storm.
Now their mission is simpler but urgent: protect their slim lead atop the Wild Card race before it slips away.
Boone is gambling on health and hope, counting on Judge and Volpe to help ignite one last September push.
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