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It is May 25, 2021 and the Yankees have turned their season around, both on the starting pitching staff and on the offensive front. Are Yankee fans seeing a legit team that could make a real push into October?
Yes, it is only May and some might say that is too early to tell what will be the outcome of the October fest that the baseball season witnesses when the postseason roles around, but let it be known that we are just about five months out from seeing how the 2021 season will completely unfold.
There is no doubting this, over the years, the strongest assets of the Yankee organization has become the backend of the pitching staff. On the other hand, this baseball season has had its fair shares of ineffective starting pitching performance and a lack of consist offensive production. The pattern was consist yet again with the start of the 2021 season, but as the saying goes, "When you hit rock bottom, the only direction is up" and that has been the case for the Yanks.
After a rocky start to the season, where the team couldn't find a way to get consistency out of their starting rotation to follow up their ace Gerrit Cole and a lack of offensive support from their batting order, they found a way to get hot on both sides of the baseball.
In their last turn through the starting rotation, the Yankee starters have really picked up Gerrit Cole. It is something no one saw coming, as the signings of right handers Corey Kluber and Jameson Taillon to the starting pitchers' staff had many raising eyebrows in skepticism. As the team is coming off a much needed scheduled off-day, which came after they swept the best team in the American League via the Chicago White Sox, they now have a starting rotation that looks very dependable and filthy:
Corey Kluber: 9 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 9 SO, 1 BB, 101 P (Pitched no-hitter against Texas Rangers)
Domingo German: 7 IP, 0 R, 6 H, 5 SO, 0 BB,87 P
Jordan Montgomery: 7 IP, 0 R, 4 H, 11 SO, 0 BB, 90 P
Gerrit Cole: 7 IP, 0 R, 4 H, 7 SO, 3 BB, 95 P
Jameson Taillon: 5 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 4 SO, 2BB, 80 P
Looking at those stats above, as a Yankee follower or a general baseball enthusiast, you have to be impressive with how team has progressive from the start of the season. The bolded names have to peak your interest the most, due two of them have been impacted by injuries throughout their baseball careers, while the other has posted those numbers after making his way back from a demotion. A no-hitter by a 2-Time Cy Young award winner, who by the way has not been on a major league mound for quite some time after suffering a right shoulder tear last season. "Dominance" is the only word to describe what Kluber did in Texas, as he hurled just the sixth no-hitter of this season. Then there is the amazing comeback story of Jameson Taillon, who has come back from his second Tommy John surgery. He was acquired by the Yanks, partially due to the recommendation of the Yankee ace and Taillon's former Pirates' teammate/friend Gerrit Cole. To say the least, like Kluber, Taillon didn't look to be a promising piece for this Yankee starting rotation; but he seems to be finding his way on the mound in the Yankee uniform. Another key name that was heavily looked upon as the season got under way was Domingo German. For a guy who missed a lot of action on the major league level due to being DFAed (designated for assignment), the time in the minor did him a world of good.
If the Yanks continue to get productive outings by their starting five, this team could go very far this season. With a said, no matter how good the starting staff is, the defense must always be tight, and recently there have been some outstanding defense...especially from the infielders, but there is obviously room for improve for the organization to better their defensive game a bit. It is very important for the team to get those things right now, because the pitching and the defense are the only two things that can only looked upon as the reasons for this team to remain a threat in games.
Yes, the offensive has shown up more and more lately, but the offensive still has shown its true potential outside of some clutch hits and batters' count that go or don't work in the Yankee favor. Outside the multi hit games of LeMahieu, Urshela and the Aaron Judge homers; along with others, there has not been much consistency on the offensive side to match what the pitching staff is doing for the team.
To reiterate, the 2021 baseball season is just about five months away from postseason action and while fans have seen a glimpse of the potential that this team has, it is about time that the entire team plays a more productive game that allows for them to get more consistent production from each position on the diamond.
The team is coming off a weekend sweep against the White Sox and will start a three-game set against the Toronto Blue Jays after that scheduled Monday off-day, can the Yankees build on their 7-series winning streak that they have going?
