Yankees Battling Through Injuries, Slumps In Miserable August

Prior to the All-Star break, the New York Yankees appeared to be heading towards an unparalleled season, leading the Major Leagues with a 64-28 record and the AL East by 13 games, but since then they have stumbled to the point where their prospects for reaching the World Series for the first time in 13 years now are in serious doubt.

The two-game Subway Series sweep over the New York Mets on Tuesday, marked the first series win for the Bronx Bombers in August, after losing six straight in the month. Injuries once again have been the culprit for New York, who have lost a plethora of pitchers and slugger Giancarlo Stanton over the last two months, while their vaunted offense other than Aaron Judge and DJ LeMahieu has failed to pick up the slack.

The Yankees lost reliever Chad Green (Tommy John) and Michael King (fractured elbow) for the season. Starter Luis Severino (lat) and reliever Miguel Castro (shoulder) got hurt in July, prompting GM Brian Cashman to add starter Frankie Montas and reliever Lou Trivino from Oakland, and righty Scott Effross from the Chicago Cubs at the trade deadline.

Health issues have continued, with All-Star closer Clay Holmes (back tightness), Albert Abreu (elbow), and Effross all finding their way to the IL, forcing manager Aaron Boone to use untested arms like Clarke Schmidt and Ron Marinaccio, and veteran lefty Wandy Peralta in high leverage situations, while picking spots for the struggling Aroldis Chapman.

After posting a 3.18 ERA and 109 K’s in 104 IP with the A’s, Montas gave up 14 earned runs in his first three starts for New York, but the big righty put forth his best outing (2 ER’s, 6 K’s in 5.2 IP) against the Mets on Tuesday.

Around Full Press Coverage

NFL OPINION: Browns Quarterback Deshaun Watson Suspended Six Games

NFL: 2022 NFL Breakout Candidates: NFC North

NFL: NFL Rumors: Ndamukong Suh, Sean Payton, Sunday Ticket

FULL PRESS BETS: Early 2022 NFL MVP Odds: Bills’ Josh Allen Favored

FANTASY FOOTBALL: Fantasy Football Value Picks In Every Round

PODCAST: Full Press NFL Weekly Ep 39: Ep 39: Quarterback Contracts, Hill vs Adams, Top 5 QB

The Yankees avoided complete disaster of a series sweep to second-place Toronto with a 4-2 win on Sunday, thanks to new Yankee Andrew Benintendi. The former Red Sox outfielder has successfully bounced back from a 1-for-21 start in pinstripes with game-winning hits in the last three games; a seventh-inning homer against the Jays, a two-hit, two-RBI effort in a 4-2 win over the Mets on Monday, and driving in the go-ahead run with a single on Tuesday.

“It’s been a tough stretch. We’re grinding, (but) I think these wins can go a long way in helping you build a little bit of confidence and get that swagger back.” Boone said. “You never try and look at (things) as being ‘too upset or too satisfied’. It’s like onward and upward. We’ve got a lot of season left. We know we’ve got to play well, it’s right in front of us.”

While Judge has come alive with home runs in the last two games after going nine straight without, the Yankees run production has slowed to a halt without Stanton hitting behind him. Veterans Anthony Rizzo, Aaron Hicks, and Josh Donaldson are hitting under the Mendoza line in August, second baseman Gleyber Torres has slumped, and Hicks has been benched in favor of 23-year-old utility man Oswaldo Cabrera.

There is reason for hope as the Yanks begin a seven-game West Coast road swing in Oakland on Thursday. Boone indicated on Sunday that Stanton will be activated prior to the series with the A’s. Injured lefty Zack Britton, Holmes, Severino, and Castro are all throwing and expected to return in September, and outfielder Harrison Bader (plantar fasciitis) is hoping to return before the end of the season, but for New York to resume being the favorite to come out of the AL, their hitting will have to return to pre-All Star levels.