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The New York Yankees have not been playing up to their potential lately. Why are the Yankees struggling?
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Injuries
The New York Yankees are currently in last place in the American League East and are struggling to find their footing. Many experts believe that their struggles are due to the number of injuries they have incurred this season.
Starting Pitching
It’s no secret that the Yankees have been having some struggles as of late. One big reason for this has been their starting pitching. The Bombers have struggled to get quality starts from their starters, and when they have, the pitchers haven’t been able to go deep into games. This has put a lot of stress on the bullpen, which has had to come in and clean up a lot of messes.
Another reason the Yankees’ starting pitching has been struggling is because they’ve been bitten by the injury bug. Ace Luis Severino is on the shelf until at least May, and cc Sabathia will miss at least a month following surgery. These are two big losses for a team that was already short on starting pitching depth.
The Yankees will need to find a way to get better production out of their starters if they want to turn things around and start winning games. Otherwise, it could be a long summer in the Bronx.
Everyday Players
The Yankees have been decimated by injuries this season, to the point where they have had to use 56 different players, most of whom are not everyday major leaguers.
Lack of Consistency
The New York Yankees are one of the most successful teams in baseball, but they have been struggling as of late. A big reason for their struggles has been the lack of consistency. They have not been able to string together a series of wins and their losses have been piling up. Another reason for their struggles is that they have been injuries.
Starting Pitching
The Yankees have been struggling as of late, and a lot of it has to do with their starting pitching. They simply haven’t been able to give their team a chance to win on a consistent basis.
One of the main problems has been that they haven’t been able to go deep into games. Their starters have been averaging less than five innings pitched per start, which puts a lot of pressure on the bullpen. And with some key relievers injured, the Yankees have had even more trouble getting outs late in games.
Another issue has been that the Yankees’ starters haven’t been very effective when they have been able to go deep into games. In their last five games, the Yankees’ starters have given up 31 earned runs in 28 innings pitched. That’s an ERA of over 10!
The Yankees need their starting pitchers to be more consistent if they’re going to turn things around and get back into contention.
Hitting with RISP
The Yankees have long been one of the best teams in baseball at hitting with runners in scoring position (RISP), but they have struggled to do so consistently this season. As of June 20th, they are batting just .250 with RISP, which is good for 23rd in the league. While they have shown some improvement lately, this has been one of the biggest problems for the team this season.
There are a number of factors that could contribute to this lack of consistency. One is that the team has simply not been as good at getting on base this season. Their .332 on-base percentage is only 17th in the league, and down from .337 last season. This means that they are not giving themselves as many opportunities to drive in runs.
Another factor could be that they are not hitting for as much power when they do get runners on base. Their .439 slugging percentage with RISP is only 14th in the league, and down from .453 last season. This could be due to a number of things, such as struggling to hit with two strikes, or failing to make adjustments against pitchers who have made adjustments to them.
Whatever the reason, it is clear that hitting with RISP has been a problem for the Yankees this season, and one that they will need to solve if they want to get back to their winning ways.
Age
The Yankees have the oldest team in baseball, and it’s finally catching up to them. Their lack of speed and ability to hit for power has been their downfall this season. With an average age of 31, the Yankees are the fifth-oldest team in baseball. Only the Giants, Mets, Red Sox, and Cubs are older.
Starting Pitching
The Yankees’ starting pitching has been a big reason for their struggles this season. The team’s rotation has an ERA of 4.90, which is the second-worst in the majors.
One of the biggest problems has been the lack of innings from the starters. In 14 of their first 27 games, the Yankees’ starters have failed to pitch at least five innings. That puts a lot of stress on the bullpen, which has also been struggling.
The Yankees’ lack of depth has also been an issue. After Luis Severino and Masahiro Tanaka, there are a lot of question marks in the rotation. Jordan Montgomery is out for the season, and CC Sabathia and Sonny Gray have been inconsistent.
The Yankees need their starting pitchers to step up if they want to turn things around.
Everyday Players
The Yankees have a lot of age on their roster. Their everyday players are some of the oldest in baseball, with an average age of nearly 33 years old. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing – experience can be a valuable asset – but it does mean that the team is more susceptible to injuries and other age-related issues. The team’s starting pitcher, Masahiro Tanaka, is already 30 years old, and several other key players are in their 30s as well.
The team’s lack of youth was exposed during their recent loss to the Houston Astros. The Astros are one of the youngest teams in baseball, and they were able to take advantage of the Yankees’ lack of speed and energy. The Yankees simply couldn’t keep up with the Astros’ young stars, and they ended up losing the game by a wide margin.
If the Yankees want to get back on track, they need to find a way to inject some youth into their lineup. They need players who can provide a spark on both offense and defense. They need players who are willing to run hard every single day and who aren’t afraid to make mistakes. In short, they need players who aren’t afraid to play like kids.
Lack of Depth
The New York Yankees are currently in the midst of a disappointing season. Many people are wondering why the team is struggling so much. One reason for their struggles is the lack of depth on the roster. The Yankees have a lot of star power, but they don’t have much depth beyond that.
Starting Pitching
The Yankees have struggled mightily to start the 2020 season, and a big reason why has been the lack of depth in their starting pitching.
General manager Brian Cashman made a splash in the offseason by signing Gerrit Cole to a nine-year, $324 million deal, but aside from that, the Yankees’ rotation has been full of question marks.
James Paxton, who was expected to be the team’s No. 2 starter behind Cole, has been sidelined since February with back issues and it’s unclear when he’ll be able to return.
That leaves the Yankees without two of their top three starters, and it’s put a lot of pressure on guys like Masahiro Tanaka, J.A. Happ and Luis Severino to step up and fill the void.
Tanaka has been solid so far, posting a 3-1 record and 3.20 ERA in five starts, but Happ has been uncharacteristically inconsistent and Severino is still working his way back from an injury-plagued 2019 season.
The Yankees’ starting pitching depth will be tested even further in the coming weeks as Paxton is set to begin a rehab assignment and Severino is close to returning from the injured list.
However, it remains to be seen if either pitcher will be able to make a significant impact this season given their recent injuries.
Hitting
One reason the Yankees have struggled this season is their lack of power hitting. They are near the bottom of the league in home runs, and their slugging percentage is also very low. This has been a big surprise for a team that has traditionally been one of the best offensive teams in baseball.
Another reason for their struggles has been their lack of timely hitting. They have had trouble getting hits with runners in scoring position, and they have also left too many runners on base. This has been a problem all season long, and it has cost them several games.
The Yankees have also had problems with their defense. They have made too many errors, and they have not been able to make the routine plays. This has put unnecessary pressure on their pitchers, and it has led to some big innings for the opposition.
The bottom line is that the Yankees are simply not playing well right now. They have some serious problems with their hitting, their defense, and their pitching. If they want to turn things around, they need to find a way to fix these problems quickly.
