If you heard the crack of the bat on Aaron Judge's most recent home run, you realize that the Yankees may have found their bats once again. They are not guaranteed to do anything great as of this moment, but they are clearly in a much better place than they were a couple weeks ago. The Yankees were slumping while they could not score runs, sent their closer to the bench, and watched their starting pitchers crumble. This team has found a bit of a second wind at this of the season, and New York is finding it with help from all their great pieces.
Aaron Judge
Aaron Judge has been expected to be the face of baseball ever since he started the season so well, and he has started to return to form after all of baseball scouted him, figured him out, and began to pitch him better. Judge has made an adjustment to ensure that he could be a more productive hitter, and he seems to be a good motivator for his team. The Yankees have been playing well late in the season as they come together as a group. They may have received a boost from the cheating scandal that the Red Sox were caught up in, and they see that they still have a chance to compete for a championship.
Joe Girardi
Joe Girardi is one of the more stable managers in baseball, and he has shown through every up and down that he is prepared to accept the slings and arrows regardless of what they are.
He speaks in hushed tones that ensure his club is not wallowing or celebrating, and he has given his team reason to believe that they can succeed because he is not hotheaded. A more fiery manager would be bad for a young team such as this. They would play scared in every game because they did not want to get yelled at by their boss.
Gene "Stick" Michael
The architect of the core four that took the Yankees to four World Series titles died recently, and he was well loved and respected throughout baseball. The Yankees may play the rest of this season for Gene Michael, and they could find more motivation in his loss. A team that can wear the patch or armband to support someone has a unified purpose that may bring them together, and they could play with a level of emotion that would be heightened because of that unique event.
The wild card
Teams have won the World Series from the wild card slot before, and they could do so again. The Dodgers are slumping, and the Astros must find their groove once again. The Red Sox got caught allegedly stealing signs, and the Twins may not catch up in the wild card race. The Nationals are flying under the radar, and the Cubs are the only team that is truly on a hot streak. Perhaps the Yankees can slip into the race from either wild card slot.
