“It is a two-man team right now” - MLB insider implores Yankees lineup to step up and help Aaron Judge, Juan Soto
The New York Yankees have struggled mightily as of late. They have lost four games in a row and four series in a row. They lost first place in the American League East and don't look like the World Series contender they once resembled. MLB reporter Jon Heyman believes there's a reason for this, and it involves seven pieces of the lineup.
Heyman said:
"They stink! ... Thanks to Aaron Judge, Soto. I mean, two-man team. You never saw it more than in that Mets series. Add it up. See what Judge and Soto did, and look what the rest of the team did. It is a two-man team right now, and that is not even their biggest issue... The rest of their lineup? Unbelievably bad right now."
Aaron Judge and Juan Soto have, for the most part, been an unstoppable tandem this year. They are among the league leaders in fWAR, batting average, OPS, home runs, wRC+, and a bevy of other offensive metrics.
But lately, all their production is too little. The Yankees offense has scored very little outside of the two outfielders' output, and it's not enough to win. Judge drove in five in a game against the New York Mets, including a grand slam in the eighth inning. The team still lost 9-7.
Where did the Yankees offense go?
Normally, a team with two of the top three hitters in MLB by wRC+ and two of the top three hitters in fWAR would be a great offense. All year long, the New York Yankees have been just that. Their slide is partly due to a rotation that's suddenly incapable of getting outs, but a big culprit is the disappearing offense.
This can be attributed to a couple of things. Primarily, injuries have sapped the lineup. At full strength, the lineup features Giancarlo Stanton and Anthony Rizzo in the middle. Those two provide the lineup with a lot more depth.
Now, the middle of the lineup features a struggling Gleyber Torres and either Ben Rice (a rookie promoted within the last month) or J.D. Davis (a trade from the Oakland Athletics who isn't and hasn't hit). That makes a significant difference.
That means that opposing pitchers just have to get through Anthony Volpe, Juan Soto and Aaron Judge before they're almost home free for a couple of innings. That can't work no matter who the top hitters are.