What Has Led to the New York Yankees’ Recent Success?
After the first series of the season, it was obvious that this 2024 New York Yankees team had a different vibe. New York swept one of its more recent rivals, the Houston Astros, and dominated the series from start to finish, scoring 21 runs while only allowing 11 runs. From there, the Yankees won four straight series before dropping one to American League foe, the Toronto Blue Jays. New York has had a strong May so far, winning five series and going on a seven-game win streak. Currently, the Yankees are atop the AL East and have a 33-16 record, the second-best in the MLB.
There are many factors that have contributed to New York’s impressive run of form. To the surprise of no one, Juan Soto has been playing lights out. He is slashing .316, has hit 11 home runs, and has 37 RBIs. After a slow start to the season, Aaron Judge has returned to his old ways as the captain of the team, homering 13 and hitting .271. Judge’s OPS of .988 is the fourth-highest in the MLB, which is because of his elite hitting and ability to earn walks. He has been walked 39 times, which is tied for most in the league. Giancarlo Stanton has shown up in big moments, hitting 11 home runs and 26 RBIs. Anthony Volpe has earned his spot as the leadoff hitter, slashing .269 with 23 RBIs as well. Other players, such as Alex Verdugo, Anthony Rizzo, and Jon Berti have been consistent hitters at the plate. After having a team batting average of .227 last season, which was the second-lowest in the MLB, the Yankees are one of the hottest teams in the show, averaging a .257 average.
As usual, New York’s pitching staff has been reliable and solid. Heading into the season, though, Gerrit Cole suffered an elbow nerve inflammation and edema and is yet to make an appearance. The reigning AL Cy Young Award winner had a 2.63 ERA and boasted 9.56 strikeouts per nine innings. Nestor Cortes, Carlos Rodon, and Clarke Schmidt have gotten the job done as starters. Marcus Stroman, who pitched for the Chicago Cubs last season, has a 3-2 record and a 3.05 ERA in 10 starts, pitching 56 innings and retiring 48 batters. Perhaps the biggest key to the Yankees' success is their bullpen, which has a league-low ERA of 2.86. Pitchers like Luke Weaver, Clay Holmes, and Ian Hamilton have successfully closed out vital wins and gotten out of jams with runners in scoring positions. Could New York continue pitching and hitting well though? Only time will tell. But with Cole, DJ LeMahieu, and Jasson Dominguez all returning from injury in the future, that should help the Yankees finish as a top-two team in the AL East and also make a run in the MLB Playoffs, ending a 15-year World Series drought.
