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New York Yankees

New York Yankees

New York Yankees

Five Reasons to Believe the 2023 New York Yankees Are Still In the Mix

By Michael Cohen
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 14: Anthony Volpe #11 celebrates with Harrison Bader #22 and Jose Trevino #39 of the New York Yankees after hitting a two-run home run during the eighth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium on May 14, 2023 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

Are the New York Yankees finally starting to come out of the doldrums of this season?

Right now it’s easy to be pessimistic. The Bombers are eight games out of first place after settling for a split of a four game series with the Tampa Bay Rays, and one look at the standings still shows the Yanks in last place.

Nothing has come easy for the Yankees thus far in 2023, and it won’t the rest of the way in a division that, right now, looks poised to send potentially four teams to the playoffs this year. Yeah, the AL East is that good compared to the AL Central and AL West right now.

Should Yankees fans begin believing? Or is it too soon to believe this year’s club can turn things around?

  • 1: Reason to Believe: Anthony Volpe

    The 22-year old Watchung native has struggled most of this season, batting at only .218 on the year, but he caught fire a bit during the weekend series vs. Tampa Bay. Volpe is riding a three-game hitting streak, and is batting .454 with two homers, four RBI and two stolen bases in the last three games. His 13 stolen bases without getting caught is a new Yankee rookie record.

  • 2: Reason to believe: Judge is back

    Having the reigning league MVP in the lineup makes a huge difference  for the Yankees. The Bombers were 15-11 when Judge got hurt against Texas on April 27. Since they are 8-8. Judge did hit a pair of homers in the Yankees 9-8 win on Saturday. He nearly hit one out on Sunday. If Judge starts to heat up, so should the Yankees.

  • 3: Reason to Believe: Anthony Rizzo is Yankees best hitter ... so far

    The Yankees most consistent hitter up to this point has been Rizzo. He is hitting at .312 with nine homers and 22 RBI. The Yankees are very fortunate to have his bat sizzling in the lineup considering most of the Yankees hitters have been cold so far this year, and there was a prolonged absence of Aaron Judge. The Yankees need Rizzo to keep things rolling for this lineup and team to succeed.

  • 4: Reason to Believe: Gerrit Cole

    Before his start against Tampa Bay on May 7, Gerrit Cole was literally the best pitcher in baseball. No, it’s true. Not only was Cole 5-0, but he had a 1.11 ERA and 44 strikeouts after the first month of the season. Without Cole, the Yankees pitching staff would be even more dire straits than it is. To say the Yankees need Cole to keep this going would be an understatement. Outside of Cole, no Yankees starter has an ERA under 4, which is quiet alarming, and a huge concern for the club moving forward. Right now Cole is on pace to win 20 games, something he’s done only once in his career back in 2019 with the Houston Astros. Can he keep it going?

    Gerrit Cole Yankees

    CLEVELAND, OH – OCTOBER 16: New York Yankees starting pitcher Gerrit Cole (45) delivers a pitch to the plate during the first inning of the Major League Baseball ALDS Game 4 between the New York Yankees and Cleveland Guardians on October 16, 2022, at Progressive Field in Cleveland, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

  • 5: Reason to Believe: Help Eventually is Coming

    The Yankees have a lot of issues, most of them in the pitching department. Their starting rotation has been bad; Carlos Rodon has given them nothing, as he’s spent the first month-plus of the season on the injury list; they don’t have a true lockdown closer, and the bullpen, while good, is suspect.

    But help is eventually coming. Luis Severino makes a rehab start in Somerset on Tuesday. Severino has had a checkered Yankees career that has been hit hard by injuries. When he is healthy, he can be a top of the rotation starter. He was 7-3 with a 3.18 ERA in 19 starts last year.  He also struck out 112 batters to only 30 walks; the guy still has a lot left in the tank, and if he can stay healthy, he could be that number 2 starter the Yankees need behind Cole.

    As for Rodon, reports are he’s throwing on flat ground, and the Yankees hope he can return by the end of next month. Stay tuned. If the Yankees get both Severino and Rodon back healthy before the All Star Break, it’s a plus.

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