NFL
By: Billy Lewis
The New York Yankees are off to a blistering start in 2022. Memorial Day is usually the first barometer for the MLB season. As of Memorial Day, the Yankees were 33-15 and ready to start a six-game homestand against the Angels and Tigers. The Yankees took care of business in the Bronx and swept those six games to improve to 39-15.
The best Yankee team of recent memory was the 1998 team. The ’98 Yankees were 41-13 after 54 games. The 2022 Yankees are only two games behind that pace. Of course, that ’98 team finished the regular season at 114-48, on route to winning the 24th championship in Yankee history.
The 2022 Yankees are on pace to win 117 games. That would set the single-season wins record currently held by the 2001 Seattle Mariners at 116. The biggest strength so far in 2022? The Yankees’ pitching staff. The Yankees are only giving up 2.89 runs a game, while scoring 4.78 runs a game.
The starting rotation has been stellar this season. Nestor Cortes has led the way and sits with a 1.50 ERA, Jordan Montgomery has the worst ERA in the rotation, at only 3.02. The rotation has given the Bombers a chance to win each and every game, with starting pitching like that, it’s easy to see how the Yankees have had such a hot start.
Yankees MVP
During the offseason, the New York Yankees offered Aaron Judge a contract extension but Judge declined and opted to bet on himself this season. So far, Judge’s bet is paying off huge dividends for him. He currently leads the league in Home Runs, Runs, and Slugging Percentage. Brian Cashman offered Judge seven years at $30.5 million. It was thought to be a fair offer, but Judge is showing why he deserves more.
Mike Trout is currently the highest-paid position player at $35.54 million. Correa sits just behind him at $35.1 million. Judge sees himself as one of the best players in baseball and would want somewhere in that $35 million range. Judge is on pace for 63 home runs, which would be a Yankees record, and to many baseball fans, the legit single-season home run record.
There is a long way to go until October, but the Yankees have done everything right to date. Along with Judge’s great start, Nestor Cortes could find himself in line to start the All-Star Game for the American League.
Next up for the bombers is a quick three-game road trip to Minnesota where the Yankees will find old friends, Gary Sanchez and Gio Urshela. After that, they’ll play six more games in the Bronx between the Cubs and Tampa Bay Rays.
