NFL
By Billy Lewis:
The All-Star break is right around the corner. While we think of the second half of the season as the games following the All-Star game, the Yankees have officially hit the halfway point after Friday night’s game in Boston. Through 81 games, it’s hard to complain. They sit atop the American League with the Tampa Bay Rays as their closest competition.
New York Yankee Injury Concerns
Both Carlos Rodon and Gerrit Cole returned to the mound in May, but the Yankees have yet to have their full rotation intact. Max Fried has been on the IL since May 16th with a bone bruise on his elbow. The lineup has seen its fair share of injuries as well, with Trent Grisham, Giancarlo Stanton, and Aaron Judge spending time on the IL.
Grisham should be the first to return of the trio. Stanton has been on the IL since April, but Paul Goldschmidt answered the bell and has filled in admirably. Goldy had 10 home runs last season, but has already surpassed that with 14 before the calendar turns to July.
When Judge gets injured, eyebrows and red flags are raised quicker than one of his line drive lasers leaving the park. Judge was dealing with a fractured rib for much of the first half of the season, and on June 5th, he hit the IL.
The Yankees have been able to keep stringing the wins together without Judge, but we don’t know when he will return to the lineup. The American League has not been anything to write home about this season, so if Judge can return to full health for the playoffs, this IL stint will become a footnote to the season.
New York Yankees Young Stars Standing Out
Last postseason, Cam Schlitter turned himself into a household name. This season, he has turned himself into one of the best pitchers in baseball. When the Midsummer Classic hits in Philadelphia, Schlitter may very well find himself on the mound to start the game for the American League. With a rotation that includes Fried, Cole, and Rodon, Schlitter has emerged as the pitcher you want to have the ball in a must-win game.
In my preseason predictions, I said that Ben Rice would hit 35 home runs. Hand up, I may have undersold him, since he is already at 22. Rice has not only been a key cog in the Yankees’ lineup, but he has also emerged as a legitimate MVP candidate. Historically, the Yankees thrive with left-handed hitting first basemen, and Rice has the potential to add to that mix.
In the Bronx, it can often feel like the season doesn’t start until October. To get there, though, you need to have a good regular season. Through the first half of the season, the Yankees look to be setting themselves up for a deep run through the fall.
