The 2023 MLB season has been full of highlights from many teams thus far as the trade deadline draws closer. However, the New York Yankees, the acclaimed franchise with 27 world series titles, is playing their worst game of baseball for the first time in a long time. At 50-47, they are last in the AL East division, one game behind the Boston Red Sox and they show no signs of improving any time soon. In what was supposed to be a big season for the Yankees has turned into a disaster.
Expectations dashed
After getting swept by the eventual world series champion Houston Astros in the AL championship series last year, the Yankees started preparing for next season.
The first major news was the resigning of star outfielder and reigning AL MVP Aaron Judge to a nine year, $360 million contract, and not long after that, naming him captain of the team, the first one since Derek Jeter, who has on hand at the press conference to hand over the reigns. Shortly thereafter, another big name was signed to the club as the Yankees announced the acquisition of free agent left handed pitcher Carlos Rodon, on a six year year, $162 million deal. Rodon, who went 14-8, with a 2.88 ERA, and stuck out 237 batters last season with the San Francisco Giants, would provide the Yankees starting rotation some much needed help.
When the season began, things got to a bit of rocky start as it was announced Rodon would start 2023 on the IL with a left forearm muscle strain.
After winning the first game of the season 5-0 against the Giants, the Yankees seemed to settle in to a good rhythm, and after 12 games were 8-4, but by the end of April were playing sloppy and finished the month with a 14-14 record. When May came around, the team started picking up and started winning, thanks to strong pitching performances from Gerrit Cole and Nestor Cortes.
Though the Yankees seemed to make up for their poor play from the start of the season, things would begin taking a turn for the worst.
Things get worse
At the beginning of June, the Yankees headed to the west coast to play a three game series with the Los Angeles Dodgers. After losing the first game 8-4 on June 2, the team hoped to win the next game on the third.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, with the Yankees leading 5-3, Dodger JD Martinez hit a fly ball out to rightfield and Judge caught it on the run, but ended up crashing into the chain link fence leading to the bullpen. Though this play secured the victory for the team, it would later be revealed through x-rays that Judge tore a ligament in his big right toe when he smashed into the fence, putting him on the IL for an undetermined amount of time.
The loss of the captain would not be the only thing to get worse for the Yankees. With Judge out of the lineup. the team tried to do their best, but it has not worked out so far. A four game losing streak, which included a complete series sweep from the Red Sox left Yankee fans sad and angry.
Even after the hiring of Sean Casey as the new hitting coach after the all-star break, the Yankees have only one game thus far and show no signs of improving as they are last in the division. Most recently, third baseman Josh Donaldson, who had started the season injured, landed on the 60 day IL with a calf injury, only adding to the growing amount of players out, including Cortes and Jake Bauers. The only highlight so far has been Domingo German pitching a perfect game against the Oakland Athletics on June 28, the fourth perfect game thrown by a Yankees pitcher and the first one in the MLB since 2012. While this alone was an accomplishment, it was only a short lived glory moment.
No hope in sight
With the Yankees dead last in the division, it has been hard to comprehend that the team has hit a low point so far this season. Though the Yankees haven't had a losing record since 1992, there's no telling what will be the final record at the seasons end. With the postseason out of the sight, the organization will have to finish out the season as best as they can.
