The New York Yankees have made the postseason for the ninth time in 10 seasons, but having not won the World Series in the last 16 years, the pressure is at an all-time high, and they will need Aaron Judge to stay game-ready.
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Former Dodgers player Eric Karros said: “More than anything, you just need his presence because his presence alone is going to impact… he creates a problem for that opposing pitcher because I don’t care if Aaron Judge walks up there or limps up there.”
Aaron Judge’s return had already given Yankees fans something to feel good about heading into October, but his slow start showed how much timing he still needed after missing 84 games.
The Yankees were 36-23 with Judge before his injury, winning 61% of those games. Without him, they went 45-39, dropping their winning percentage to 53.6%.
That difference became even more noticeable after Judge struggled since returning. He has just four hits since his return and has struck out 13 times, even though he did hit a massive 397-foot three-run homer and helped the Yankees clinch a postseason spot. For a moment, Yankees fans finally saw the Aaron Judge they need, but he hasn’t looked anywhere near the player the Yankees need overall.
With Aaron Judge still looking to find his bat and the postseason almost here, the pressure now falls on the pitching department, and they will need to do the heavy lifting.
That is why Karros said, “If their starting pitching is dominant, like it can be with Schlittler and Cole and Rodon and Fried, and they could be in the World Series.”
After lower-right-leg tightness forced him out against the Twins, the pressure on the pitching department has only gone up. And the Yankees’ starting rotation looks even more important as the postseason gets closer.
Cam Schlittler has become one of their biggest reasons for confidence entering October. Against the Mets, he allowed 1 hit and struck out 8 across 6 scoreless innings. His 1.95 ERA also places him towards the top of the league.
Schlittler’s recent outings have given the Yankees something they will need when October pressure arrives, but Carlos Rodón has also quietly built one of the steadier stretches this season.
Against the Mets, he allowed 2 runs across 6⅓ innings and struck out 8. He has also allowed no more than 3 runs in 24 straight starts.
Then there is Gerrit Cole, who brings another important piece to the Yankees’ rotation. Cole had posted a 3.29 ERA across his first 18 starts after returning from surgery, but his last 2 starts brought 7 home runs, creating another concern before October.
His next outings now carry more weight as the Yankees prepare for the postseason.
With Judge still searching for his best form, the rotation cannot afford many quiet nights. Schlittler, Rodón and Cole could carry much of the responsibility when October games begin. Yankee fans have already seen Schlittler and Rodón deliver when their team needed them most. Now, their next starts could help decide how far New York travels toward the World Series.
X-factors for the Yankees in the postseason
Other than the starting rotation, the New York Yankees have a couple of other X-factors that could make things easier for them to handle the postseason.
Luis Garcia Jr. has become an important piece for the Yankees entering October. Since arriving at the trade deadline, Garcia has given the Yankees lineup an offensive outlet. He is hitting .283 with 7 home runs and 15 RBIs in 37 games. That stretch has already given the team something to depend on during the postseason push.
Garcia showed exactly why he can matter when September came.
On September 9, Garcia had 2 hits, including a home run, against the Rockies. The next night, he homered again. Then against the Mets, Garcia had 3 hits when the Yankees won 6-4.
Those outings have given the Yankees another bat capable of changing an inning. Garcia has never appeared in the postseason, so October will bring something completely different, but he has shown that he can deliver for the Yankees.
That could make things easier for the Yankees’ lineup if they start to feel like they are falling behind in the game.
While Garcia is an offensive option, Clarke Schmidt is returning to strengthen pitching.
Schmidt missed more than 14 months after undergoing his second Tommy John surgery. He returned against the Twins, and his pitching allowed 2 hits and struck out 2.
Although this doesn’t guarantee postseason success, the Yankees look well-built for October and more balanced than before.