BRONX, NY — Yankees manager Aaron Boone and a contingent of his coaching staff departed for Atlanta along with pitchers Max Fried, Carlos Rodón, Jazz Chisholm Jr. and the captain Aaron Judge. The Yankees will be well represented Tuesday evening at Truist Park, at least three players selected to 10 of the last 11 All-Star games.
And with this unofficial mid-season point of their season, the Yankees look to regroup when they pick up the schedule Friday evening in Atlanta against the Braves, a respite from a first half that has to them been a grind.
On Sunday afternoon in the Bronx, a grind came for now came to a halt. The Chicago Cubs leading the NL Central division, a team that can pitch, hit, and grind, took the rubber game of a three-game series, 4-1.
After losing on Friday night, the Cubs won the next two games to take the three game set in the Bronx this weekend – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
Shota Imanaga (6-3) had an answer, seven innings with a sinker and command. He struck out Judge twice and only allowed a second inning home run to Giancarlo Stanton, his fourth and 433rd of his career.
A series that epitomized the Yankees first 96 games, a team in many ways still trying to find themselves, (53-43) and a June swoon that saw the surging Blue Jays with a 2.0 game lead in the AL East, two six game losing streaks, inconsistency, injuries that hinder every team during the course of a long campaign of 162-games.
Inconsistency you ask? The Yankees had a five-game winning streak and lost their second straight.
Jasson Domínguez enters the All-Star break hitting .266 with a .760 OPS in the first half of 2025 – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
But they enter the break with a record of .500 or better for the 29th consecutive season. And with 66 games remaining the mission hasn’t changed, World Series in October or the season is a bust. They know what has to be done and GM Brian Cashman is expected to be active prior to the end of July trade deadline, to enhance a roster and fulfill that mission.
“We set out the year to get back to the playoffs and chase a World Series,” said Boone. “It still exists for us. It’s still a long way to go. With the physical and mental grind of a long season, there’s that positive reset for some guys to get a breather, to get a blow and come with the hyper focus of understanding what our mission is.”
Aaron Boone and the Yankees stand 53-43 on the year, 2nd in the AL East by 2.0 games and in first among the AL Wild Card standings by 2.0 games – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
And to his credit, Boone has continued to stress that mission. Though he blocks out the negative vibes of a fan base that calls for his dismissal, reality though the manager sets a lineup. Boone has no control of injuries, the Yankees have had key components of their starting rotation and bullpen have a share of them.
The manager is not on the mound or field. He goes with a roster that is handed to him, though look at the daily Yankees transaction sheet and 41 names have been used, certainly that was not in the plan for 2025. Cashman and the Yankees hierarchy have escalated a plan of contingency and in this era of competitive balance they will enter the second half with every opportunity for a late October return to the Fall Classic.
But they know it will be a grind. And Cashman will always have reinforcements to assure the season is not a bust.
Brian Cashman recently stated the Yankees will be looking for upgrades in the infield, rotation and in the bullpen as the Trade Deadline approaches – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
It also begins with consistency and now overtaking the Blue Jays, a team many did not project as a division leader. If not the division winner, a top AL Wild Card scenario for the Yankees is not out of the question.
Of course it can’t always be about Judge. He heads to his seventh career All-Star game, a 35th home run Saturday marking the most for a Yankee prior to the All-Star break. He leads MLB in average (.355), second in home runs, second in RBI (81), second in runs (85), first in OBP (.462) and far from a long shot to become the first AL Triple Crown winner since since 2012 (former five-time AL LatinoMVP Miguel Cabrera of the Tigers.)
Aaron Judge’s first half of 2025 included a 1.195 OPS and 35 home runs across 96 games – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
Their rotation continued to take a hit with the losts of Clarke Schmidt to a second Tommy John surgery. Luis Gil, the reigning AL LatinoMVP Rookie of the Year, is on the path for a return after sustaining a lat strain in spring training. When factoring in Fried and Rodón (2021 AL LatinoMVP Pitcher of the Year), had Gerrit Cole not been lost to Tommy John, the Yankees still have a formidable and reliable one-two in the rotation.
A bullpen struggled, still does as Devin Williams appears to have regained his form as the closer, lessening the load for Luke Weaver in that setup role. And the Yankees await Jonathan Loáisiga to regain his elite status in the pen, looking at a 5.01 ERA and seven home runs in 23.1 innings. They need Fernando Cruz and Mark Leiter Jr. to be healthy, hence Cashman will seek reinforcements at the trade deadline.
Puerto Rican right-handed reliever Fernando Cruz holds a 3.o0 ERA with 54 strikeouts in 2025 – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
And defense? The Yankees have scored over 500 runs, they may need more. Flashbacks of Game 5 World Series against the Dodgers last October an awful reminder of failing to win their first championship since 2009. Sunday’s loss was another reminder, Anthony Volpe got hold of a Pete Crow-Armstrong hit up the middle.
Instead of holding the ball, Volpe threw wide to first, Armstrong was safe and Seiya Suzuki scored from second.
Anthony Volpe has had several costly mistakes haunt the Yankees on defense and at the plate – Image Credit: Simon Lindenblatt/Latino Sports
Costly mistakes from Volpe in the first half, as the Cubs and other teams have taken advantage. Just something else that Cashman will attempt to improvise as the Yankees move into the second half. A season of adjustments with the ambition of returning to the World Series.
“There are across the board improvements,” said Boone. “We never stop feeling like we could be a little bit better and that’s individually, but certainly as a team as well.”
Boone is an optimist, standing up for his players. He will continue to display that mentality in the second half, again, though it’s World Series or bust.
Rich Mancuso is a senior writer and columnist at LatinoSports.com – X: @Ring786, Facebook.com/Rich Mancuso
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