- For the first time this season, the New York Yankees are not expected to make the Playoffs in 2023, according to online betting markets.
- The Yankees dropped to 2-8 in their previous ten games and third straight defeat following a 5-1 loss to the Las Angeles Angels on Tuesday night.
- The last time the Yankees were 95 games into the season and last place in the AL East was in 1990.
As New York Yankees fans continue to wait for Aaron Judge’s return, the team appears to be digging a hole that they won’t be able to climb out of.
The Yankees have fallen to dead last in the AL East and are nine games behind the Tampa Bay Rays for the lead. According to BetUS, the Yankees’ odds to miss the postseason are at +120.
Last night was another frustrating loss for the Yankees over the last month. Since July 5, the Yankees have lost eight of their last ten games.
The All-Star break was viewed as a potential opportunity for the Yankees to reset and build up some momentum for the second half. Unfortunately, that has not been the case in the Bronx.
They’ve lost four of their first five games after the All-Star Game. In their latest defeat, the offense was lifeless in a 5-1 final to the Angels on the road. Gleyber Torres was responsible for one of two hits and the only run for the Yankees.
The absence of slugger Aaron Judge has wreaked havoc on the Yankees. The 2022 AL MVP has not played since a 6-3 win over the LA Dodgers on June 3. Following the win, the Yankees advanced to a record of 35-25.
Entering the series finale against the Angels, they own a record of 50-46 and are on pace to quickly drop to the .500 mark. Despite the Yankees’ last-place position in the AL East, this typically wouldn’t be the case for a club four games above .500.
For the first time in MLB history, every AL East team has reached 50 wins before their 95th matchup of the year. In any event, this is also the first time that the Yankees are 95+ games into the season and last in the division.
Anthony Rizzo describes the general mood in the Yankees’ locker room to @M_Marakovits.#YANKSonYES pic.twitter.com/TCkhIjDvgb
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) July 19, 2023
Aaron Judge Took Batting Practice On Tuesday
Despite all of the bad news for the Yankees recently, there has been a bit of good news. On Tuesday, Judge was on the field at Angel Stadium to participate in the pre-game festivities.
Judge was in the batter’s box for BP and also did some light defensive drills in the outfield. Unfortunately, manager Aaron Boone does not have a timetable for Judge’s return to the starting lineup.
“I do feel like the things he’s able to do now are kind of putting him in that close [category], but whether that’s days from now or weeks from now, I can’t answer,” Boone said, referring to Judge. “We’ve got to get through those final hurdles, where he can really do things that allow him to play in the Major Leagues.”
The torn ligament in Judge’s right toe could need surgery at the end of the season. We have seen these types of injuries linger on, while the organizations provide false hope about a return. Oftentimes, no timetable implies the possibility of a player missing the rest of the campaign.
Soon it will be August and then the home stretch in September. If the Yankees aren’t in a position to compete, it’s reasonable to assume that the front office doesn’t want to rush Judge back on the diamond.
In addition to the Yankees being underdogs to make the playoffs at +120, their AL East and World Series odds are slipping fast.
Some Aaron Judge on-field BP: #Yankees
pic.twitter.com/TntDGVgfFb— Bronx Bombers News (@NewsBronx) July 19, 2023
Yankees’ 2023 World Series Odds Regressing
The Yankees opened the season tied with the Atlanta Braves for the second-best odds to win the World Series. The situation is looking much differently for the Yankees five games into the second half of the season.
Currently, the Yankees are +1600 to win the World Series in October at BetUS. All things considered, those are probably better odds than you would expect. As a comparison to the rest of the AL East, the 57-37 Baltimore Orioles have +2200 odds to win the World Series.
The Orioles are only a game back of the first-place Tampa Bay Rays. While the Yankees’ World Series odds are regressing, they are not completely tanking. Despite odds suggesting that the Yankees will not make the postseason, they still have better World Series odds than the Orioles.
Meanwhile, the Yankees are +2200 to win the AL East, while the Orioles have +350 odds. What can we conclude from the World Series and AL East odds? The betting public will wager on the Yankees to win the World Series, regardless of anything that is happening in reality.
Will The Yankees Buy or Sell At The Trade Deadline?
The Yankees’ problems go well beyond Judge. You can look at his injury as the downfall of the club, but there are other issues out of his control.
Judge can’t help improve the catching or starting pitching. Both need some work, as 33-year-old Kyle Higashioka isn’t a solution. The starting rotation hasn’t been impressive at all.
Gerrit Cole has been solid enough and is expected to compete for the AL Cy Young. Overall, as a team, the Yankees are 15th in MLB with an ERA of 4.29. With or without Judge, this isn’t a winning roster.
The rest of the season looks bleak in the Bronx, but Brian Cashman is reportedly interested in retooling the roster at the deadline. If comments by MLB Network insider Mark Feinsand are correct, Cashman wants to trade for talent and attempt to make a run in the second half.
Cashman might have confidence in Judge returning in the near future. That is the only explanation for the front office being optimistic about the team’s chances. At +1600 odds to win the 2023 World Series, you might want to pass or wait on a better price.
